Virtuoso Advocate: Prior Avocation Dorsal Residuum
by C.F.Winchester. Finalage
Summary: Past, Present, Future. All are connected in a web of cause and effect. The Mason System has taught us this in the harshest way. What happens next, and what happened before? There are two sides, and it's time both were told. Follows various characters.
1. Gates Of Memory: Prologue

_Those of you who know me from somewhere else; do me a favor and send me a virtual slap/punch. _

_Yes, I'm writing ANOTHER separate story, when I obviously can't even update on my others even on a remotely acceptable basis. What is __**wrong**__ with me? Any story I plan on keeping up with, I plan on updating before the end of April, so look out, and bug me if you see a story you like not get updated._

_That being said, this fool would like to introduce himself to this area. I've spent a bit of my time skimming through other stories here…I feel outclassed in a way. I'm just surprised at the sheer skill most seem to wield here._

_Obviously, I don't own anything from this franchise, and I…probably don't belong here._

_Well, welcome, regardless, to; "Virtuoso Advocate: Prior Avocation/Dorsal Residuum"_

_All that fancy stuff basically means:_

_Ace Attorney: Before the Affair, after the fall. ~ Finalage._

**_+~-VA -~+_**

**_Prologue: The Gates of Memory_**

**_+~-PADR-~+_**

Date: ?  
>Time: ?<br>Place: ?

The room was full of young men and women, some sitting and others leaning against the wall. Cheap plastic chairs creaked as some shifted their positions, conscious of the noise made and glancing fervently around. They fiddled with pens, spoke on their phones, stared at the ceiling, anything to pass the time while the old style clock on the wall ticked impossibly loud. A curt voice broke the silence, and the occupants snapped into a line before a door. All of them looked hopeful and ready to go…save one that looked uninterested, the senior of his peers.

"Please sir, I'd ask you to remove your…uhh…"

Phoenix fixed the woman with a quelling stare before his hands came up to remove his precious beanie from his head, allowing some disheveled dark hair to escape from it. He opted to spin it on a finger as he spoke before jamming right back down on his head.

"My daughter knitted this for me you know. It was the first and last thing she made too; she lost interest after making it. It's kind of a good luck charm."

Swallowing, the organizer stayed quiet. She and just about everybody else knew who this man was, and as a result, no one was eager to cross him. However, she was adamant. This was the bar exam and that hat is against the rules…

_Hello. My name is Phoenix Wright. Thirty Three, going on Thirty Four Pianist and Poker Playing Extraordinaire. I'm in line to take the bar exam for becoming an attorney at law…again. _

_Oh no, don't get me wrong, I didn't __**fail**__ the first time. I passed, maybe not with flying colors, but I passed pretty well. I even spent a few years making a name for myself as an Ace in my field…but…I suppose you could say all luck runs out some time or another. I was accused of forging evidence and disbarred._

_It was a dark time for me, but I was an impulsive, act-first-and-think-later kind of guy. I adopted myself a magician daughter and became a pianist for a freezing Russian restaurant. Me, I guy who couldn't play to save my life and who hardly remembered to water a plant once a week or so, taking on a kid and music?_

_I managed to survive though; and hey, look, I'm standing next to a whole bunch of barely-twenties and snake-eyes aged kids, ready to become an attorney again. Whooo! Right?_

"Phoenix Wright, your station is B 16. Good Luck…and I'm sorry about her and your hat."

I simply smiled a half smile at that one before taking back my ID from him. He reminded me of a calm, observant Meekins…wait…was that an insult?

I pushed the thought away as I arrived at B16 and turned on the terminal. Here we go…as the first case popped up on the screen, I realized, with a shock that it was one of mine…the one I had taken before _that_ one…

February 17, 2019

Rick Mousler versus the State

Defense Attorney: ?

Prosecutor: Winston Payne.

The defense attorney for this case was? Enter Answer here: _ANSWER_

_My first question, and already this test gets personal. Last time I had to answer things about Mia and Hawthorne…now it's me against me. I remember that case…poor Mousler…_

_+-~Mason~-+_

February 14th, 2019 – 8:15 PM, LAPD Parking Lot.

The night was dark, the lights scarcely populating the building a figure hurried out of. It was late, and this late at night, only the grumpiest of detectives and officers slunked around. The still winter air bit at his nose and slapped his face, lifting him more awake then he had realized work had let him fall. Glancing upwards, the man registered that three offices were still lit.

Shaking his head, he left. He wasn't there to hear gunshots ring out, almost forty five minutes later…

February 15th, 2019 – 9:28 AM, Wright & Co Law Offices.

"Nick, Nick! The T.V! Look!"

Phoenix sighed, staring at his reflection in the cloudy, half-transparent water that the toilet offered him. It was bad enough that he hated cleaning the thing, but did Maya always have to interrupt him while he was doing said task? It just prolonged it and made him walk around with gloved hands he would be afraid to touch anything with. Giving up, he got to his feet and walked out of the bathroom, he leaned against the bathroom wall and watched the said T.V with what was first annoyance, but quickly deteriorated into shock.

"_**Last night, a shocking murder rocked the Los Angeles Police Department, as a Forensic scientist was killed in cold blood. The estimated time of death is somewhere before nine pm, and the main suspect in this case is Officer Rick Mousler, twenty nine, who was acting as guard duty that night. Eyewitness accounts claim that Rick was on shift and near the office where the murder occurred a mere ten minutes before the estimated time of death, and that he and the victim were the only other individuals in the building…"**_

Sighing, Phoenix felt like tossing his hands up into the air and giving up that particular establishment of enforcing the law as a bad job. How many times had officers of that office been convicted of something since he started his career? Not only that, but every time, who was their lawyer?

Yet they still refused to make his life easier when it came to his other cases. Where was his respect?.!

Something about the guy's face though…it pulled at Phoenix. It was a look that Maya knew well, as she had turned around to see if the lawyer had come into the room, and there he was, looking with those eyes straight at the innocent T.V, as if he wanted to fry it.

Looks like "Nick" has found his next client…

The television went back to other news, and Phoenix went back to cleaning the bathroom, but after cleaning, he took a shower and put on his suit.

By now, it felt like he was donning his super hero outfit.

You know, after looking through his clothes in the back of his closet, he had found that sweater that Da-Iris had made him.(He never had found the heart to throw that heart endowed sweater away after all…) All he needed was a cape and he's be set…

February 15th, 2019 – 12:54 AM, Detention Center.

Phoenix sat opposite from a man. He well knew what it looked like form the other side of that window, and he knew too, how unforgivingly plain it was in there. There was nothing else to do but think of what crime you may or may not have committed, and that guard in the room was more like a wall than the walls themselves. The blue suited attorney grasped an item secured behind his tie, and asked him the same thing he had once asked Matt Engarde, only with a far deeper undertone.

Pale, with a lesser build than Phoenix, the man answered as expected, his washed out green eyes pleading and wide. Phoenix focused on that face, devoid of any kind of guile he could see, but…fear was bubbling there. Fear and confusion. He sighed.

"Okay then, I believe you. Just...let me ask you some questions."

February 15th, 2019 – 2:35, Forensics Department.

"It seems the police have already searched this area and closed it off. Well, that's never stopped me before...Maya, keep guard will you?"

Before his partner could protest, Phoenix had already skipped the tape and made his way inside. He had a funny feeling that Gumshoe was going to pop up at any second, like he always did, but he hoped not. Not that he minded the quirky detective but…he was an obstacle whenever their objectives weren't the same. It was his job to be at odds with the defense after all…

_+-~Mason~-+_

Enter :Phoenix Wright_

Phoenix shook his head to rid it of the memory. He had no time for flashbacks, not in the middle of a test. Still, as soon as he answered the question, the terminal spat out the next one, and he internally cursed.

"Please input the design for a prosecutor's badge."

_This thing's determined to make me think about the past, huh? I know how that thing looks like. I remember seeing it twice. Once, in Gant's office when I was on Lana Skye's case…and the other was when Edgeworth visited me at home…after I was disbarred._

_+-~Mason~-+_

November 18th, 2019 – 7:49 PM, Wright Talent Agency

The building had seen better days, and so too, had the door that Edgeworth had raised a careful first too before scrutinizing it. It was in need of a scrubbing…no, scratch that, it was clean, just worn and in need of some paint. The plaque that proclaimed the office as one of law had been removed, replaced by a slip of garishly colorful paper that proclaimed this door to hide the "Wright Talent Agency" from view.

Edgeworth just ended up adjusting his cravat in an effort to give his hand an excuse for being near eye level. That door was unusually ominous. On his chest was his prosecutor's badge, and the man cursed his…unusual sense of childish goad. Here he was, a man who never wore his badge, and yet he wore it today…to do what? Kick a man already down? That was a "dick move" even for his upbringing.

He was about to attempt to remove it from his chest when the door opened on its own. Surprised, he found himself staring at…a man in a black hoodie and jeans, with a girl riding on his back, piggy-back style. Her hat brushed the door frame as the man froze there, his eyes tracing the face in front of him, taking him in before focusing on his chest. A flash of anger, too fast for Edgeworth to be sure, drained from his face.

At any rate, there was a sad smile on his face now, and his posture adopted itself into a guarded one. The girl too, had gained a darkly curious look in her eyes, feeding off the emotion she could tell her "ride" was feeling.

"Trucy, I don't think we'll be able to catch the ice cream shop today. Do me a favor and get the telescope for me? We'll still be able to get the stars, and maybe that crazy old ice cream truck guy will drive by the park again."

Jumping off, the little girl only gave him an affirmation before vanishing, but not before punctuating the sentence with "Daddy" at the end. Edgeworth's face went from surprised to priceless. Wasn't that Wright's voice that emanated from this jacketed man? Daddy?

Phoenix turned to face his former rival, and his smile widened at the sight in front of him. Edgeworth's eyes were struggling to stay in his head. He chuckled darkly before sweeping his arm into his home, stepping aside to indicate that the other could come in.

"Miles. Come on in."

He waited for Edgeworth to step in before his arm snaked out, quickly removing a stream of multicolored scarves from his path, making Edgeworth take a hasty step back. Where…had that come from?

It was only when he glanced around from the amazing sight of Wright without his spikes and a hoodie, did he actually see where he was being admitted into. An unsteady table balanced a teapot and cup near a couch, and on top of that couch was a box full of dishes. On another haphazard couch, piles of multicolored scarves, blankets with stars, shiny snakes of tinsel and all manner of glittering things took up half the space. A lone magician's wand lay on top of all this, along with a bunny.

He thought it was real until the very last second, just before he sat down next to it. Then it decided to be wise and jump away, flapping wings and all. A…dove? Edgeworth watched it fly to settle on the shoulder of the little girl he had seen earlier, now holding a long spyglass.

She was…cute. Her eyes were far too large though. Large and…reading. Edgeworth had the feeling that he was staring down a tiny, powerful x-ray, and she was reading right through him. He grew uncomfortable before Wright's voice made him jump to fit his first name in the air.

"I hope you don't mind Miles, I only had Green Tea leaves on short notice, that and a couple croissants. I see you met Trucy. You're getting along with Miles, aren't you?"

"He's scared, Daddy. He's trying to hide too-"

Phoenix gave his daughter a calming look. It was kind, but the meaning, in curt language, would have been: "Please shut up now Trucy." Phoenix simply sat next to the box of dishes and gave Edgeworth a stare. The prosecutor suddenly felt that he was facing down two very powerful headlights, and his badge felt heavy and cold against his chest. How did Wright manage to wear his all the time? How could it possibly have brought him comfort and pride? For him, it just amplified uncomfortable truths.

"What brings you here Edgeworth? You could have called; I would have cleaned up a little."

Trucy giggled at this. Since when did her father _ever_ really manage to clean up? Still, she should give him some credit. He was a bit better than her Uncle Valant. No food or underthings were around after all, and most of the stuff that made the mess _was_ hers. The problem wasn't daddy…it was daddy's _space_.

"Of course, but I was walking by on my way to the Detention Center and I just assumed I might stop by…"

Phoenix had a look in his eye that reminded Edgeworth of their time in court. Only when Wright stopped him, it wasn't with a yell, though his hand did jerk slightly before he stopped it. He instead swept it behind his head and took a sip from his own tea.

"You own a car Edgeworth. A very expensive and well-kept sports car. Not to mention that this office is out of your way no matter if you are coming from home or from the Prosecution Office."

"I never said I was coming from any of those places-"

"You did."

It came, short and biting. Miles Edgeworth had nothing to say, for he did come from the office, and even though Wright had no proof…the girl staring at his eyes and the man at his badge knew they didn't need any.

"Daddy…"

Taking a swig from his cup, Phoenix put it on top of a stack of dishes in the box next to him. He stilled his daughter's comment and looked to his guest with calmer eyes. Edgeworth didn't relax though. Not even as Wright reached for his cup, and Edgeworth let him take it, empty.

"I repeat my question, What brings you here, Edgeworth? Have you come to spill your disappointment at me? Rage at me for forgetting what "justice" means in presenting forged evidence? Laugh at your fallen rival? It can't be for anything kind, that badge on your chest says so."

_Curse whatever demon that convinced me to put this on my visage on this day!_

Opening his mouth, he prepared to douse the claims Wright put against him, but he quelled under Wright's eyes. Since when…did a hoodie and some stubble grant a man so much power?

"Yes Wright. I came expecting to have something to teach you, something to denounce you, some way for me to simply crush you and make you mean nothing to me, so that I could forget about the criminal whom I had called a partner once…but it seems I can't even do that. No matter what happens to you Wright…I never understand how it works."

"No matter what kind of mud you get dragged through, you always end up coming out smelling of roses..."

_+-~Mason~-+_

The next few questions on Phoenix's test were, thankfully, memory free, things about procedure of law, stuff every attorney should know…there was only a tiny twinge when a question came up about evidence law, but he beat back any trips down memory lane that time. His eyes were quick, and any question that came his way he made short work of. He found that everything he had studied for was pretty much useless.

It was his common sense and experience that let him squash these questions dead. It wasn't until another question hit him below the belt did he pause. This one had to do with Maya, Maya and Iris…damn, he was getting old, all these trips down memory lane. He glanced up at the clock as he felt the cinema crew knock on his mental door. He was almost done, he could feel it…and he had almost a whole hour left…might as well get it over with. He gave his answer and put his arms behind his head as his mind drifted…

_+-~Mason~-+_

"Fee-Phoenix…"  
>"Nick!"<p>

Laughing, a man in a beanie and hoodie sat up a little straighter in his hospital bed, looking between the two women who had crowded his bed. One of whom was on his phone. He hadn't seen either of them in a long while. A long, long while. The looks of concern they gave him were priceless however, so he couldn't help but laugh.

"Come on Maya, you look as if you're sitting on my death bed. The doctor tells me I only have a sprained ankle."

"They told me you got hit by a car and flew into a lamppost headfirst!"

"Well, yeah, that's true too."

Again, the looks he received…picture wise in Maya's case. It was a kind of running gag now, Phoenix realized. He was made of steel. He had eaten a sharp, metal necklace, poison traced bottle and all, he had run across a burning bridge and dropped thirty to fifty feet into a freezing, raging river below in the dead of winter, and, to top it all off now, had been hit by a car and sent flying thirty or so feet, but got up and walked away from the incident.

"That's it, I'm sending over a bunch of steel samurai for you."

"Oh please, no. I have enough to worry about…Maya? Damn it, she already put down the phone. Didn't hang up though…must be expecting to come back to it…"

Looking up, Phoenix focused on his one physical visitor, Iris. His smile faded a little at her silence. He found himself looking at his sheets. Normally, this would be the time to forge ahead, but her entire aura seemed to radiate a kind of vulnerability that stayed him. He waited until she looked up to see that he had settled to watching her, and she flinched as if struck.

"Iris. It really has been a long while, huh? You know, I called a few times…in the beginning."

"I…know. I wasn't there…"

Phoenix said nothing, his silence stretching between the both of them. He had called many times. First to congratulate her, then to give pointers, encouragement through her sentencing of being an accomplice, he wrote when she had to do time. He had tried his hardest on his side, and he knew Edgeworth too, had pulled a few choice strings, if only for the fact that he knew her involvement in this case was noble.

"Really? I would have hoped you had time to respond back at least…"

She was supposed to see through fifteen years…but after five, an appeal was made. Right now, she was on a kind of probation for a while, so they could figure out what to do with her, what kind of compromise and how much "good behavior" counted here.

She hadn't changed much, besides looking a little thinner, maybe a bit darker around the eyes. Frailer was the word he was looking for. Smaller, weaker, yet somehow tougher at the core. Phoenix knew she was looking him over in the same way he was to her. What did she see? He had gained some muscle over his time away from a lawyer, he had been doing that ever since becoming one, and someone commented him on it once…but he had streamlined down too.

His stubble was something Maya had commented on, her comment of him trying to emulate Will Powers making him mentally cringe. True, he didn't put his hair in spikes anymore, and when he took of his cap, it did stick out in odd directions…but the similarities stopped there…he hoped.

"I…hear you have a daughter now."

Changing the subject. Well, he might as well go with her.

"Yes, I adopted her when she was eight, right after I lost my badge."

"Oh, so that's why you stopped trying to call?"

_+-~Mason~-+_

"Thirty Minutes Left in the test people…oh, Mr. Wright…here's your hat back…It's harmless as far as I can tell, and seeing as you're just about done anyway…"

Phoenix glanced up from his last question, looking at it with malice. It was asking him about his last case. It named him as the defense attorney, Klavier as the prosecutor and even the piece of forged evidence, but its aim was for the taker to answer who made the said fake, the witness who proved it was his work.

Tempted to write down "Vera Misham" he spun his pad pen and tapped in "Drew Misham", regardless of how wrong it was. He then was met with a blank screen save for the simple line: "Thank you for completing the bar exam."

Spinning around, he held out his hand for the beanie, waiting until it was delivered into his hands before jamming it carefully unto his head. The word "Papa" shone once again on the noggin it was meant to fit for, and the decal with the ever open mouth seemed to wink.

"Your daughter must really love you to make something like that, Mr. Wright."

"I try, and I can only hope it bounces back, you know?"

**+-~E~-+**

_Well, there's that. You can look at this as a prologue, or as a one-shot story, it all depends upon its response. But keep in mind, please, that I am a very busy, insane individual, and one of my main insanities is lining up stories even though I know I have next to no time to update them. _

_True, I've shrunk my focus to two, now three if this goes somewhere, stories, but still…counting how many stories I have uncompleted compared to those finished, forgetting about the ones I deleted years ago because my grammar was like a two year old banging their head against a keyboard…yeah…I'm ranting. Why are my "notes" for this prologue so long? Do I have so much to say for being gone for so long? _

_If you want more from this crazy fool, review. If not…hey, take this and run. ~Finalage._


	2. Discontent and Accountability: Chapter I

_Well…I thought that my story for Ghost Trick had broken a record before, giving me a review on the first day, but this tops it. Well, that prologue was one of the few things that I was happy about, and when I'm happy about work…it works I guess._

_Then as soon as I upload, I see another review and favorite. By the gods. This is a record._

_Well, yes, I've got more if you want it. ~Finalage._

**_+~-VA -~+_**

**_Chapter One: Discontent & Accountability_**

**_+~-PADR-~+_**

**May 15th, 2027 – 3:34 PM, Testing Center Annex B: 2nd Floor C Building, Room 204.**

"I'm sorry sir. You must have a score above eighty five percent to receive your license, your score was somewhere in the eighty threes…"

"Aww come on! Two percent?.! You know how long I've waited for this moment? You can't deny me on the basis of such a low percentage! I demand a-"

The young man would have continued his ranting if not for a heavy hand on his shoulder, and when he looked behind him, he looked almost eye to eye with an older man in a beanie and a mean tan. He looked up a bit to catch his eyes.

Damn, they burned, but the hand on his shoulder wasn't angry…at least, he didn't think so...

"Kid, I've been waiting since you were still in middle school, longer even, the last time I took this thing was in June of_ 2016. _Tell you what, you need some study help, hit me up."

Sliding past him, Phoenix slid his ID card past the barrier. A boy grabbed it from behind the terminal as the woman continued to argue with the one Wright had pushed aside. He looked up the name on the list, but slowed once he reached it, as if remembering something.

"Wright? Phoenix Wright?"

"Yes, that's me."

"You…look different."

Looking up, the man scrutinized the boy's face, hard. He couldn't say he recognized him…not until he glanced around the booth and spied a few pictures from Steel Samurai. It wasn't odd to find those in places, but these in particular looked special…

"…Cody? Cody Hackins?.!"

"Bingo! It's been a while Mr. Wright. Oh yeah, your score…damn. You killed the test. I'd ask you if you were cheating but…you're a famous attorney. Okay, give me a sec while I get the license card from her, okay?"

Phoenix watched as the boy tapped the arguing woman on the shoulder, and presented the roster, showing her the individual in question. She turned to her computer as the boy took up the argument with the hot headed failure. A third person rushed in to deal with remaining hopefuls.

How old was Cody now? Eighteen, maybe nineteen, depends. He was old enough…but still, an intern working in a testing center? Who would have thought? Phoenix was distracted as he watched the woman on the computer get up and run out to the next room, presumably to pick up something from a card printer in another room. When she returned, she handed him his ID and ripped in half a perforated paper, making him sign on a cut-out card.

A temporary ID while his badge would be prepared and stamped. He looked to see his number on the card and paused in mid stroke.

26381

"Umm…Miss? I think there's a mistake here…"

The woman, whom Phoenix now took the time to realize by her tag was Linda, turned to look at him with concern, his voice was strangled after all. He pointed mutely to the number on his card, swallowing.

"That number…It's the same…as it was before. Seven years…you mean to tell me no one else took that number? This…this is a joke, right?"

Looking at him oddly, she glanced at the card and then at his name. She didn't see anything odd about it...then she realized that the number was a lot lower than numbers she had usually handed out today. All badges went up in order numerically, according to a system, and no number went backwards…then it hit her.

"Ahh…Mr. Wright. You're a special one it seems. You see, you lost your license right? But your file still has that number on it, we don't go backwards in numbers…so you re-taking the bar exam is like getting a reinstatement….all your files were closed before, pending release after fifteen years…but since it hasn't been that long, you're simply stamped approved and given back your old number…ahh! That reminds me; since you are simply being re-instated…this envelope must be for you.

_Like police case files, that's what my documentation is to them…it expires after fifteen years._

Phoenix received the yellow oak-tag envelope from her with both hands…its weight felt familiar…and he couldn't believe the cheapness of the state in law…but at the same time, he felt…renewed in some way. He opened the envelope eagerly and waited until the badge fell into his hands before admiring it.

They really were cheap, but he was touched all the same. There it was! Teeth marks and all! Ha ha! He remembered when Maggey had bit down on it to see if it was real. He still couldn't believe they kept it. Hey, could he screw it on now? Did his hoodie even have a proper place to screw it on into? No. Still, he felt he shouldn't walk out of this building without it on-. Whoa.

Calm down Phoenix, you're getting ahead of yourself. It was just his old badge after all. Just a badge. Phoenix slipped the badge back into the envelope and opened his hoodie, depositing it into an inside pocket. He turned around and met eyes with…that kid from earlier, the one with eighty two percent.

"Grr, old guy, who says you, can get your badge just like that, huh? I've been in school for so long, and I come to this? I refuse to see failure! Come on old guy! What yah got there? I'm here you know! This world needs the youth man!

Surprised, Phoenix took a step back from a punch directed at his face, and then sidestepped another one before catching his fist on a third throw. The young man threw himself at Phoenix then, but he simply let go of his hand and let the hot head fall on his face. He was about to walk past him, but the boy swung out his arms to trip him up. Phoenix had played too much hopscotch with his daughter though…that and knife dodging, (…Yeah…let's just say Trucy wasn't always good with throwing knives and barely missing the "volunteer") He jumped at the right time and kept right on walking.

"Like I said kid, if you want some help studying, come to the Wright Anything Agency. It's impossible to miss; just about everyone in town knows where it is, ask."

Walking out of the testing center, Phoenix checked his wallet. There was money there; he had been paid yesterday from the Borsht Bowl Club. He had gotten a bit of a raise there, mainly due to the fact that he had finally learned to play the piano, (He was pretty decent now too!), and that his cases had brought more people wanting to play the famous poker player. He resisted the urge to fist pump something.

He wasn't a young fool after all. He had other things to worry about, like what he was going to eat tonight. He caught himself wondering if he should grab Trucy and Apollo to go somewhere. They were gone, had been for over a month, on a trip with their mother to catch up some. He had idly wondered if they were coming back, but he discarded that thought as nonsense. They had been traveling all over the place, and they were due to come back anyway…gah!

They were due back in two days, and the office was in a worse state than usual. Damn! Screw celebrating, he had cleaning to do! Phoenix grew wings on the soles of his feet as he ran, his destination being home.

**May 17th, 2027 – 7:30 AM, Los Angeles International Airport, Gate B, Second Level, Drop Off, Receiving.**

"Excuse me sir…you've been pacing for nearly two hours. Is there a passenger you're waiting for who hasn't come yet?"

"Ehh? Oh…please, don't mind me…I'm early…the plane isn't supposed to arrive until nine o clock…"

"Nine AM? You can relax then; those flights normally leave passengers disoriented. They might take a while to get out…"

Looking up, he realized his foolishness, and he felt stupid responding to the woman in front of him. No, the flight wasn't due at nine in the morning, it was due nine PM, at night. Yes, he was aware that he had walked in at around five thirty, and yes, he was aware that planes did not magically appear twelve hours early…just…he was pretty sure this was his daughter's first flight to and from…YES, he had to admit it. As unprepared and scared he had been when he took her in; he had become a doting father, a puppy-love-sick one to boot…when it came to Trucy, natural instincts of protection rose and claimed his regular brain functions. Leave him alone, would you?

His "house" was spotless, he didn't have to work, he had no cases today...obviously…he just wanted to feel the anticipation. No, he was not hungry, no he was not thirsty, and definitely did not want to try any overpriced airport products.

He took a glance at the high, arched and reflective white ceilings, appreciating them for their design and aesthetics. As he waited, he watched people mill about, sit on well-cut chairs bolted to the floor, he saw eyes light up as they recognized each other, passengers arriving and reuniting with loved ones…he was never good at poetry…maybe in the winter.

He sat on a beam near the window, watching people go by as the light became brighter, brighter; steadied…he continued to watch even as it began to fall. He had been focusing on the gate and the sun all this time…when he looked around him, he was surprised to see a bunch of people in hoodies had congregated around him, playing instruments and peddling mini wares…what, did they think he was one of them?

Maybe he was. He couldn't think of a more "hobo" thing to do than sit in one public area from sunrise to sunset, doing nothing but watching the people and sun go by. Hey, they even had a keyboard player who was worse than him. Maybe he should share his newfound knowledge?

It was a bit later when Phoenix took a glance at the clock. Now it was seven again, and he found himself surprisingly, hugely hungry. Well no, he shouldn't be surprised; he hadn't eaten breakfast after all. He toyed with the idea of that vending machine in a corner and a bit of change in his pocket, but he thought better of it. That wasn't healthy, and he had seen enough burger dinners from his time with Maya to know he had to be good to his body.

Soon, he was the one sitting on those chairs he had watched all day, eagerly looking up at the clock as the seconds ticked down to nine o clock, and then flew past. Nine o one melted into nine twelve and then into nine thirty before Phoenix felt like eating his whole hand in place of his untouched nails.

It was then that he remembered that he had on dress pants, and why. He unzipped his hoodie and folded it to cram under his shoulder, and looked around until he found the shopping bag he had brought with him.

He stood with his suit on now, smiling slightly at the thought of how he must look; a dude in a suit and beanie. He hadn't the heart to remove the hat though, even if he had tried to spike the hair underneath it for old times' sake.

He found that, even after shaving, he had developed a tan that offset him from his previous image. Where the tan had come from was anybody's guess, but he had always noticed it in pictures…he had just simply dismissed it as shadows…but who cared about that right now?.! The plane! Announcements were calling out that it had landed!

Finally, a couple people began to exit the barricades set up, those things that prevented people from rushing in through the doors people were supposed to come out of. How long had bag check taken? It was almost ten o clock…actually, it was past it. He searched for something familiar, anything…and he finally caught sight of a pair of unmistakable horns.

Vera Misham was right…those things were really the essence of Apollo Justice. The next thing he focused on was next to him, a set of blue eyes, red scarf and a pair of gold earrings. He was proud of himself for not noticing her hat first. What kind of dad would that be? She looked happy, standing next to Apollo, but something in her eyes…something so muted he was sure he was the only one able to see…something told him she wasn't as happy as she appeared. Lamir-no, Thalassa, was looking around as if trying to find _him_.

Well, he was right here. He tried waving, but no one noticed him, and he could almost make out Apollo wording to her "Hoodie and Beanie" through his lips. He felt a little put off when he saw that. He wasn't some doll you dressed up with this suit or that one after all; he could wear other things besides a hoodie and beanie!

Just…he didn't like taking off his beanie was it.

It was Trucy who saw him first, and who ran to him first too. Thank God that she still felt like running to him…he was afraid after all, that the time with her mother would…her hug stopped all thought. Despite surprised protest, he lifted her up to eye level with his own return hug, laughing all the way…

**May 18th, 2027 – 1:45 AM, Wright Anything Agency.**

Phoenix handed Apollo tea as he gave Trucy a plate of unsalted crackers. He blew the steam from his own mug before making sure he didn't sit on Trucy's cape when he sat, for she'd taken it off and tossed it over the couch's head. He sat across from Apollo, looking from the young man to Trucy with respect, something he knew they both needed to see, but he also had a bit of fear in his eyes. Situational fear.

"You do realize that what you're telling me is something your mother doesn't want me to know, right? Also, this other issue…it's one that she won't condone me speaking to you about…most likely she believes the fact speak for themselves…"

Trucy looked to her father, who was still wearing the top part of his suit, but had changed his dress pants into some more pajama looking sweats. He looked lopsided that way, but she couldn't find humor in him at the moment. His house was spotless too now. All their things had found a way into someplace that fit, and the piano was free and open, sheets showing that he had been playing. On the coffee table, she spied a street regulations and protocol book…so daddy was trying to learn how to drive and play the piano at once?

"Mr. Wright…"

"Please Apollo, I think you've had permission to call me Phoenix for a while now, even Nick will do. If I hear correctly, you and Trucy have both been offered a chance to be with your mother and travel the world with her…but you chose to remain here…Apollo, I can understand your sense of duty, perhaps, being that you have finally become a lawyer and have grown through self-reliance, you are a part of this agency and thus have ties here…Trucy…I can't say I'm disappointed in your decision, I can't say I'm surprised either, but I am, even if it's illogical to be…"

Glancing up from examining the fabric of the couch, Trucy looked at her "father"….no, drop the pretense. She looked at her father with a pleading look. Surprised? Did he really think she would just up and leave him? Her intuition told her no…but he had feared it. Feared it so much that he had dug himself into the piano and driving to be busy, and retaking the bar exam. She noticed he was still talking and rejoined his speech.

"…she is still your mother however. She'll honor your wishes, no doubt, but you have to understand that she won't just go away Apollo. She's meant to worry about you…and please, don't give me that look, or open your mouth, I don't think you're the type to whine, so don't prove me wrong. I can understand your wish for freedom, and your anger even…but it wasn't her fault. She had reasons, no matter what…though I don't claim to know them."

_She's new. A mother that has inserted herself back into the lives of children who have become self-reliant, un-needing…and forcing her way into the position she should have. It's coming too fast, to harsh and they're finding it unwelcome…I might have an advantage here in mediating, but I've got to be careful this situation doesn't…deteriorate._

He was talking to Apollo. About why she abandoned him those years ago, what made her leave…why he had to grow alone, and who gave her the right now to look into his life, and try to guide him whichever way she wished. Who should like him…oh boy…he had stepped on the land mine now. She instinctively winced. This was the other piece of the puzzle.

"Who should like you Apollo? Thalassa getting in the way of young love? Or is it something deeper than that? Something you condone but she doesn't? Something you're entirely sure you can safely speak to me about?"

Apollo swallowed, and his spikes seemed to droop till they almost lied flat. Maybe it was just late, or they were out of gel, but they were looking frayed and out of shape there too. Trucy turned away when her father decided to take a glance in her direction. He might not be a Gramarye, but daddy could latch onto a scent better than a shark, and he ran with it with deadly precision.

"It's not condone so much as I understand, and something I'm trying to work out with the person in question-"

"Apollo, it's only us three, and I'm pretty sure you can drop all pretenses. Damn it. I wish I had put the pieces of the puzzle together faster. You have a penchant for your half-brother, don't you, Trucy? Something that your mother obviously knows and tells you is wrong…and maybe she's a bit too harsh in the way she says it, hmm? You know what's wrong and what's right, but at the same time, you're not quite a little girl who's confused about what is like and what is infatuation…sparks and shimmers. You deal with those every day after all."

At the last sentence, he stopped looking at her, looking off at the side with a small, guileless smile. Obviously, he had to handle her, and Apollo, with light hands. Apollo didn't "like" Trucy, not like that, and at least Trucy hadn't claimed she'd fallen for him…Apollo believed that it would all work itself out in the end…he wasn't about to openly shut her down or support…_incest_…

Damn, thinking that makes it seem so intimate. It was simply a passing affection that was misplaced, and both knew this. It was simply the over-reaction that their mother seemed to produce, or lack thereof…Lamir-damn it, _Thalassa_, didn't seem like someone who reacted overtly, or without thinking…but then again, he didn't know. Magician's daughter's moved in odd ways after all…he had more proof than the woman herself that this was an unfortunate truth.

"Mr. Wright…Uh…Nick; that sounds so weird… Trucy said that stuff before she knew I was her brother, that's it. It's nothing."

Show biz needed a certain type of person to keep it running, especially when you went into the darker corners, away from the big movie screen and T.V, not actors, performers.

_As much as I hate this…I have to be the "good guy" to counteract the confusing new mother…why am I so calm about this? I'm pretty sure I should be shaking with anticipation. I'm treating them like babies right now, like pieces of a puzzle to be shifted and rotated…do all parents do this?_

"Don't discount emotion like you would a paper cup, Apollo. Never discount feelings, or simply assume that they are gone because a situation changes. Yet, I find it odd that this has been made into such a big deal. What; was there nothing else to do on the cruise ship save arguing with each other about things like this? Remind me to cancel any future sea ventures with family."

Phoenix swiped Apollo's mug from him, he had been holding it for the longest time while it was empty, and it gave Phoenix something to do. He took Trucy's full cup too before walking to the sink, speaking behind him.

"Right now Apollo, the only thing that I can say is that I'll see what I can do. You though…you need to slow down. All of you. Your mother is trying too hard, and you're resisting too strongly. Once…a friend told me the story behind contradiction. Your mother is the sword, able to slice through any shield, and you with Trucy are the strongest shield, able to resist any weapon. Stop. The logical conclusion to this fight…is the destruction of both sides. She'll try harder and harder to control and push into your life, and you'll only try harder to keep her away. Trucy…your bed is ready…and I have a rollout if you want it, Apollo."

**+-~E~-+**

_Well, that was pretty fast of me, but this chapter seems to be a whole lot of stalling to me. No real substance. Ehh. It's the first chapter. I can't do much about it, I have yet to introduce my main plot line, which upsets me, but I felt I had to put this piece here, and…besides what I've already said, I'm not sure what to say about it. I'm working on another story's chapter right now, for Ghost Trick, and then I'll work for Lemongrass Stains, least that's the plan. This is strong right now though, but where to take it…? ~Finalage._


	3. Forgiveness Given : Chapter II

_Ha ha. Well, I'm surprised. I guess I'll have to admit…I always discount my own work. You see, whatever I write…is never really enough for me. Oh, Finalage, you could have done that, Good Lord man, this piece is such dull drabble, Finalage, you idiot, it's "from" not "form"!_

_I'm not perfect, I accept that. I just like beating at my work to make it better, just maybe I'm a bit harsh._

_I ramble. I do not own anything from the multiple titles under Ace Attorney, nor do I claim any rights._

**_+~-VA -~+_**

**_Chapter Two: Forgiveness Already Given_**

**_(Given)_**

_(What, you thought I was going to abbreviate THAT? Sorry, I'm not that type.)_

**_+~-PADR-~+_**

**_May 18th, 2027 – 11:39 AM, Wright Anything Agency_**

A frantic pounding on the door made Phoenix's eyes shoot open. Truth be told, someone banging on his door wasn't an odd occurrence. The landlord used to do that before he managed to get his gig at the Borsht Bowl, and before then…clients would bang when frantic. Getting up from where he found himself, on the couch, he beat a quick path to the door and opened it halfway to look out. It was…hot head. What was he doing here at this time? Wait…what time was "this time" anyway…?

After opening the door fully, Phoenix took a glance at the clock to see it was almost noon, and that he was the first one up. Man, that ship and talk must have worn Apollo and Trucy out. Speaking of Apollo…where- Oh right, Phoenix had lent him his bed for the night…no wonder his back was in knots.

Getting old; man, that's the first sign…or was it memory loss? Well, apparently, he had both, so it didn't matter. While he looked at the clock, hot-head decided it would be wise to ask him about his dress. I mean, he was wearing white pajamas decorated with stars and wands on the shirt and…bunnies with more stars and doves on the pants. Not only that, but he had flipping bunny slippers. Was this man gay?

The comment earned him a glare that made him take a step back and cringe into submissiveness. No idiot, it was a present from his daughter, and happened to be the only clean pair of sleeping clothes he had right now. Besides…this was his_ home_, he could wear whatever he wanted, so long as the other housemates didn't mind. Yeah, it seemed to hot head that this guy loved his daughter a lot. Where was the girl anyway?

His thought seemed to be answered by fate when a yawn made them both turn and see Trucy enter the room. She didn't seem to notice the two of them, her eyes were still bleary and she shuffled zombie like to the fridge. The state of her hair told Phoenix one thing, and before his guest could comment, Phoenix gave a curt shout.

"Hey! Your teeth come first."

That thing was that she hadn't seen a mirror yet. The girl didn't even jump at his shout, just simply turned around and shuffled back to go down the hall for the bathroom, on auto pilot. Hot head looked at the older man with a questionable face, and he just had to ask.

"Umm..._**that's **_your-"

"Yes, that's my daughter."

"…You're older than I thought you were."

"I get that a lot. You're probably wrong though. Trucy's adopted."

"…Ohh."

Hot head continued to stare, and Phoenix sighed, indicating the sofa he had just vacated.

"Sit, and please, tell your name for Pete's sake, I keep referring to you in my head as something else. Tea or Coffee and Bread or Crackers, choose two will you? I'd make lunch, but that would take time…oh, hey Apollo…oh please…not you too…HEY! You're a bit too old for me to have to tell you about cleaning your mouth before drinking milk Apollo! …Don't look at me with a clueless face; did you bring a toothbrush with you over here? Forget it, just go in the linen closet, there's a multipack on the shelf."

When Apollo too, disappeared beyond the hallway, the hothead decided to cock his thumb in his direction and open his mouth, but Phoenix stopped him.

"_Name_ please….and no, that's not my son; he works for me as an apprentice. He was an orphan until he realized that he's related to my daughter, so he's hanging around here until he can figure out what to do with himself; I'm pretty sure his apartment misses him, so don't think him a bum. Oh…and close that door while you're there?"

The older man turned around and went into the open kitchen, searching the cupboards for some bread, and finding coffee, so he went searching for coffee and found crackers…well, he was hoping fate would work in reverse and give him bread, but no go…should have searched for tea. The other man simply walked to the door and closed it, surprised it was still open in the first place.

"Hestia. Hestia Hoshed…don't ask, my name's a mess…but that guy…isn't he that rookie ace attorney everyone's been talking about recently?"

Not bothering to turn around as he searched for a knife in hopes of finding butter, Phoenix spoke over his shoulder to Hestia, glad to have a name to place to his face besides "hot-head". Finding the butter proved to be an easy task as he spoke.

"Ahh, yes. Apollo's good, and some people say I'm the reason. Me, I just knew he had a gift, one I don't have, and opened his eyes to it. His techniques are different than mine because of that. Yours will probably be too, if you go through with becoming an attorney. I am assuming that's why you're here, right? For that study offer?"

"Yeah…"

Phoenix put a plate of crackers on the table with butter and coffee next to it. He bid Hestia to stand up so he could look at him better. He was…clunky. He was almost like Gumshoe, but smaller and with wider arms. His eyes were small and fox like, a washed out green-gray that was covered on one side by blonde hair. Hestia reminded him of Engarde with that hair style…that innocent look hiding manipulative fire. Not a good image.

Grabbing a pack of cards, Phoenix bade Hestia over. One way to know for real then. He rolled up his pajama sleeves and fixed the boy with a gleam. Confused, Hestia simply looked at the cards…

"Consider this your entrance exam into my personal institute. You don't have to win to pass, but how you play tells me a lot about who you are. Let's see-"

A knock on the door interrupted him, and he looked at it strangely.

"Who forgot to tell me there would be a party here? I'm not dressed for the occasion…heck, I don't even know what the occasion is."

He hadn't sat down yet, so he simply walked to the door and threw it open, coming face to face with Klavier Gavin. Phoenix just stopped. His brain registered the person in front of him but he simply did not move. Gavin too, didn't seem his usual self…or maybe it was the surprise from the other's attire. Still, even though one wore his usual clothes and was well groomed, while Phoenix's hair was a mess, the position of power lay with the darker haired man. Phoenix managed a smile.

"… …Hello Prosecutor Gavin. Would you like to come in? I haven't made any lunch yet, but there is coffee…"

"Ahh. No, no, nien…Herr Wright…you…aren't wearing a badge."

Blinking, Phoenix managed a nod after a quick second or two. For some reason, Gavin seemed to get disheartened at this nod, but Phoenix managed a shrug. He didn't really get Gavin's disappointment, but he had an idea, and he went with his hunch.

"Of course not Klavier, I wouldn't wear it when I sleep after all…were you…actually concerned for me getting it back or not? …You really are different from the others...are you at least going to come in?"

Klavier seemed to smile a little vacantly before stepping in, but the older man knew better, he was hesitant, and had a good poker face for it. Klavier joined Hestia on the couch, making the other move over a bit; the couch wasn't all that big. It was a far cry from the rock star's own home, but he made no comment. Regardless of his statement that he didn't want any, he accepted a cup of coffee a minute or two later from Phoenix's hands.

"You know as well as I do that you were simply doing what had to have been done that day, Klavier."

Glancing up from the coffee, Klavier was a bit surprised to see Phoenix having taken a seat opposite him, cup in hand. His face was rigid here. He knew why the prosecutor had come, and he was telling him that an apology wasn't necessary, and would be unwelcome to boot. Kristoph was his own person, and he should have the guts to apologize for himself.

(Not that he ever would, but hey, it wasn't his little brother's job to go running around saying sorry.)

"Klavier…would you like to come to a barbeque? I'm thinking of hosting one in the park next week."

**May 18****th****, 2027 – 11:36 PM, Wright Anything Agency**

?: Hello…Is this The Wright & Co…Law Offices…?

?: …Formerly. May I ask who is calling?

?: …Can you please tell me the new number for…Phoenix Wright?

?: This is still his residence. Listen, who is this?

?: …May I speak with him?

?: He's in the shower! Who is this?.!

?: Who…are you?

?: …Apollo... and I've been trying to ask you that for-

?: You're a defense attorney…no, I need more…than you can offer. Tell him…when he comes out…that Viola requires his…"unique touch".

Apollo: Unique Touch?.! What the hell? Who are you?.!

?: …Remember to tell him that fire is very…beautiful.

Apollo: Wait! You didn't even give me a return number!

?: Hee hee…He'll know it…or life will be very unpleasant.

Apollo heard the line go dead just as a hand came down on his shoulder, making him yelp fit to wake up something dead and spin, the receiver coming down to conk someone in the head. That someone was Phoenix, Trucy at his side. He grabbed the phone before it could bean him and gave Apollo a leveling look.

"I'm in the shower huh? Who was that anyway? Must have been some really creepy prankster to make you jumpy like that."

Apollo regained his composure quickly, trying not to catch his half sibling's eyes, which were laughing softly behind a masked expression. He cleared his throat and told his mentor that the call was nothing, but Phoenix insisted, looking in the fridge for something.

"…She said to tell you Viola had called, and that fire was a beautiful thing…Uhh, are you okay Mr. Wright?"

Phoenix had shot up quickly at the mention of fire, banging his head on the top of his fridge and making it rattle, ketchup bottles and assorted seasoning clattering to the floor from the impact. A lettuce head fell on his feet before rolling in some spilled mustard and mayonnaise, but he ignored it…his eyes had a glimmer of fear in them, but his face was inscrutable as ever. Trucy looked fearful though, she zeroed in on her father's eyes. Times like these annoyed Apollo. He was older damnit. Why did her powers of perception have to be so much more unconscious and perfect than his? She didn't even wear a bracelet…

"Daddy…?"

"Viola. Or, as I first met her, Violetta….Violetta Cadaverini. The current head honcho of Tender Lender and proprietor to the Los Angeles version of the Mafia. I had kinda hoped I would never have to set eyes on her again after that time four years ago…damn…damn! I don't want to have to defend someone whose most likely guilty…and be expected to win the case…the last time that happened…someone almost died. Damnit! Not after just getting back my license too! …Please tell me she left a number…please."

Apollo shook his head, and Phoenix's face fell. There went his last hope of this being a joke. If they had left a number, all he had to do was call Tender Lender and make sure the line still worked. If they didn't leave one…he would have to call Tender Lender, knowing that they would be expecting him on the other end, legit, real…deadly. Phoenix removed his beanie.

He removed the lovable blue beanie. This was serious. He placed it on the counter as one of his hands preceded to wring his hair. He was thinking. He seemed to scrutinize every piece of furniture, as if imagining it burning in front of him…if only Apollo knew how close his guess was to the truth. He seemed especially careful with the way he looked at Trucy.

Maya was his best friend, confidant, partner and the sister of his mentor, she was an annoyance and his "joined-at-the-hip" piece, but that was then. This was his daughter. Even if she wasn't flesh and blood, she was as close as he had ever gotten, and he loved her dearly, very.

He grabbed the receiver from Apollo, looking at it as if it would turn into a snake before dropping it and snapping his cell phone up from its charging station. If he called, he'd possibly lose his job, credentials…again, this time for good. If he didn't though…his house, daughter, even Apollo and himself…

It hardly rang.

"Hello, welcome to Tender Lender, how may we serve you needs? A loan of over three thousand must be taken out in person however. If you like, I can tell you our hours…but you don't need those, don't you, Mr. Wright?"

She knew. She always knew. It was simply the type of person she was. Swallowing once, he plunged ahead into the fray, knowing full well the consequences they could hold.

"No, I don't need your hours. I'd never borrow even a cent from your establishment, Viola. You called me."

"…Ahh, you wound me... are you sure you wouldn't like to stop by for some tea? I can make you my special blend, Mr. Wright…"

"You called Viola…please."

He heard a sigh on the other end, and the sickly sweet, polite tone was dropped for a more business oriented one. Another sigh was issued before the voice on the line continued.

"My grandfather has passed away, Phoenix Wright. He has passed by the fun end of a barrel to the gun. I do not need to tell you more, do I?"

"You…killed…him…you…?"

He could almost hear the smile on the other end. Or so he thought. The voice still had yet to regain its sweet tone.

"Oh, Mr. Wright, no. Please, the police are the ones who believe that. Yet you of all people should know how much my grandfather…doted me. He was my sole family…for what reason did I have, to kill him? Control of the family would have been easy through him, easier than keeping it still myself. He was a buffer for all unpleasant dealings."

So…brutally honest. Running the family would be easier through a figurehead they knew and trusted, and her grandfather would do anything for her. So then, why kill him? That was what she was saying…in her own way…

"…Mr. Wright? You must…believe me…my grandfather…"

Wait…what was that now…? Was her tone cracking? Was she…_vulnerable_? It was a ploy on his emotions…it had to be…but then he couldn't help but feel broken at the mewl that was coming from the other end of the line.

"Please…Mr. Wright, please. You are the only one who can look straight ahead without judgment. You're…hee…no. I can't…stop…that tic. You're the only hope I have, Mr. Wright."

"Where are you?"

"The…Detention Center."

"Visiting Hours are closed."

"I've…requested clearance."

**May 19****th****, 2027 – 1:25 AM, Detention Center Block A; Conference Room 114**

It was dark. The lights were barely on, and the darkness from outside seeped through the improved windows of the facility, letting the white painted walls nearly glow in the resulting dimness. Off to the side, a guard stood, sleeping on his feet as the camera winked away, the only relevant witness to this private meeting between attorney and prospective client.

Trucy stifled a huge yawn, opting to keep her mouth shut and put on some glassy eyes as a place holder. Her father had thrown on a dark colored navy suit he had recently bought, finding that his old one was a bit too fitting for his current tastes. His dressed shirt was unbuttoned at the top, leaving room for his necklace and magatama to show, and he had foregone a tie as a result. He was tireless, staring down the woman on the other end of the glass with such an intense glare, Trucy was sure she'd catch on fire…as soon as the fiberglass between them melted. He was shooting off questions in a rapid, curt spit fire. She was answering as best she could…

"First off, why threaten me if you really are innocent?"

From behind that glass window, the woman seemed so small. Well, she never was large physically…t was her bite that caught people, not her presence. Still, she seemed more withdrawn than usual, that and she looked apologetic to boot.

"…I didn't know any other way to get your attention. I had to…make sure you would answer my call. The soft voice… is most often ignored."

This was a crime boss. He had to remember that…well, she was about to be one, but still. She was taught certain "methods" of communication. Folding his hands in front of him, he continued to stare right through her. She actually looked away.

"When did you find he was dead? How was he positioned? Why did you go there? I going to need a scene, so describe it too me. I know you don't speak much, but I need details to work with."

She still wasn't looking at him, but obliged him.

"I…I found him at around ten…this night. He had called me to him today when I was in Tender Lender, around eight thirty. He wanted to discuss some business. I was to meet him as soon as the convenience arose. I finished my work at Tender Lender and closed shop and drove to my grandfather's residence. I must have arrived after nine thirty. …I was held up by a member of the family in house for about fifteen minutes. I remember thinking there was a scuffle in the house, I thought it was between two hot headed muscles at the time. I believe the time was past nine fifty when I made my way to my grandfather's room. As he hardly leaves his bed now except for business…

"Upon arriving in the room, I remembered smelling something burning. …That and fresh green tea leaves... I came up to the bed and saw my grandfather, a bullet hole in his head, and a gun in between his legs, as if for support. I found that odd…

"I don't remember screaming, but members of the family on duty rushed in, so I must have made some sound. I remember one of them mentioning the police being right outside, which I found strange at the time…

"One of the members by the door came up to me and grabbed the gun from my grandfather's legs. At that time, it discharged by accident and knocked him back. Not even a few minutes later, a detective barged through the door, obviously drawn to the sound. At that time, I was apprehended and arrested. It was an easy arrest, which troubles me further…"

Phoenix nodded when she looked up, finished. He immediately attacked the important parts of her story, aiming first for the all important factor of time.

"Are you sure you arrived in that room around ten o clock? Not before…? Minutes matter; and your "testimony" has quite a lot of wiggle room there."

"I arrived in the room after ten. I remember seeing the clock say ten o clock, but I don't remember the exact minute it was... It was in the single digits however. …Of the other times, I cannot give you a clearer picture than I already have, I don't own a watch, and I do not normally look at my phone… unless I need to make a call."

"Duly noted. Okay, you said you found a number of things strange. What was your reasoning behind them? "

"…The gun, the smell…police…the sound. The gun was large, a fifty five caliber slug slinger rifle. It's not our standard issue… a gun like that is too big to work effectively under pressure. Also…the bullet hole. The gun was too close. In between his legs…but the hole was average sized. If that gun was used so close to my grandfather…"

"…It would have blown his head clean off, almost."

"…Yes. The sound too, bothered me, because, as the cause of death confirms, grandfather died while I was in the house…but nobody heard the gun go off…but at the same time…"

"This gun was loud enough to alert police stationed outside."

"…Why were they there? The police never interfere with the Cadaverini…they were not there when I arrived."

".Why would the police hang around a powerful gang establishment when they never dare go near there ordinarily…?"

"Yes. That was my thought."

"Incidentally, the bullet. Did they…?"

"It matches the gun found at the scene."

Phoenix gave no comment to that one. He needed to see the evidence to cross examine it with what she was telling him. If she was telling the truth…it would pan out directly, and he could take this case without any reservations…still…

"Trucy?"

She had almost fallen asleep, but she shook herself awake at the call of her name. The magician simply fixed Viola and her father with a bleary stare. She already knew what her father was planning on doing form his eyes…but the other one…she couldn't read her. That alone woke her up fully.

"I…don't know…Dad…dy. Do you trust her?"

"… …"

He took a while before clutching his Magatama and gold necklace in one clench.

"Yes."

**+-~E~-+**

_Well, this wasn't made with my usual style. I have a bunch of empty voices in places sparsely explained, and that phone call was murder to write. I had to pull back and leave it in the air, floating, when I wanted to give detail. I was listening to Phoenix Wright- Allegro (Remix) the entire time I was typing Viola's story. Needless to say, it put me in a mood, especially since that's the music I'm so used to hearing during testimonies…though, I'm used to hearing it at such a faster pace…_

_I'm moving a lot slower than I thought I would be. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad one._

_Signed and penned. ~Finalage._


	4. Poisoned Hourglass: Chapter III

_This chapter is proof that I have zero impulse control; that and zero sense when it comes to finishing my work, which is what I was supposed to be doing today. Yes, I'm updating now. Yes, it's a bit longer than usual, I got carried away. I always try telling myself when writing these things…don't make them much longer than three to four thousand! I used to write eighteen thousand a couple times. Murder for me, murder for the reader. This is about over six thousand. _

_Yes, I updated without waiting for a review._

_I own nothing having to do with the Ace Attorney franchise. ~Finalage_

**_+~-VA -~+_**

**_Chapter Three: Poisoned Hourglass_**

**_+~-PADR-~+_**

**May 19****th****, 2027 – 6:30 AM, Wright Anything Agency.**

_It was bright. I felt alive. One moment I was on stage and the next, flying without wings. No, I was a dove….but then, shot down. Spinning, falling, diving…out of control, I had no direction. I was a person once more; reaching out to grab a hand, any hand…a thick fingered lanky one grabbed mine. It was weird, how a hand could tell you about the person it belonged too. _

_This one had thick, honest fingers, but the hand itself was thin, veined, a shadow of what it once was, but still strong, if a different kind of strong. It was "daddy's" hand that held me, kept me from falling._

It's easy to call him "daddy", and no matter how old I get, no matter how weird it'll feel…I'll continue calling him that…because he deserves it…no other title will do…and "Dad" is too impersonal for me. I'm still his little girl after all…though the kind of bond we share is different…it's no less strong.

I once went to a store, near father's day. I wanted to buy him something…anything. We were tight on money, and customers were few in the Wonder Bar…he was working hard…harder the normal. He had taken another "second" job at the grocery…he worked in stocking produce…

There was a tiny plaque on sale. It was a beautiful wooden thing, about three or four inches wide and tall, with a lightly tinted blue glass for a plate. In gold writing, it proclaimed:

"Anybody can be a Father, but…it takes someone special to be a DADDY!"

Zak Gramarye was indeed my father, I know that, but he never taught me as much as Phoenix Wright did. The time spent with both is almost equal now. When I was little, my mother took care of me, Father stayed out of it. When I could perform magic, Grandfather taught me the basics and then the more advanced. Father was there to offer his advice, to be the figure I could shower affection on, pride. He was a good father, but a distant one. He was more an addition to my mother. I called him "Daddy" too.

Wright though…

…It was far too expensive, that plaque... I wanted it so badly. When a magician wanted something, they took it with both hands…but I left the store. "Daddy" had taught me to be too kind. Where a simple sleight of hand would have sufficed, I let it drift away.

I ended up not getting anything. He didn't notice. No, he came home and cooked just like he did any other day. Cleaned and played with me, then saw me too bed before putting on his hoodie and hat, and stepping out…to the Borsht Bowl.

Eventually, a new employee, a high-school kid with more time and energy, replaced him at the grocery, and he took to the streets, looking for something…anything. As a lawyer, he had been too kind, too weak in his words. He often had clients slip away without paying, or leaving a token grace.

He always said that I was his light…but I never understood how. I always "lied" to him, gave him a hard time, hid behind a fake smile…made him worry…he was the one who knew my secrets, saw through the lying smile, the flicker of eyes. If anything, the light shining was his, not mine.

I lay there, in my bed, half awake, still dreaming. That hand held me tight…but then I did something I never expected myself to do. I reached for Mr. Hat, maybe even to give him something else to grab unto…but my hands were too fast, even for me to see. The next I saw, there was a knife in his hand, right through that very support I was held in. Bleeding, he still held on…I couldn't see…but there was too much red.

He let go, haltingly, grudgingly. Surprised, I fell, crashing into the ground…

The sheets tried to restrain me to the bed, but they flew off from my flailing. I was silent, eyes wide. It was…just my room. My pillow was across the room, and I had knocked my hat from the bed post to fly and land on the doorknob to the hall. Music, sad and low, made my ears perk up. Did I…kill him? My mind wasn't moving right; I flew out of bed and down the hall, into the living room, where I stopped.

It was clean, something I still wasn't really used too, but I hadn't unpacked all my things yet, so it wasn't unusual. The table was set for three, and the bubbling of water told me the tea pot was on. Daddy was dressed in navy pants, a light baby-blue button up was tucked in, and the top two were loose, showing his two necklaces, the big green one prominent. (Was it periwinkle, that shirt? She was never too good with colors.) He was playing the piano.

He had said he had improved. He hadn't been lying. His fingers moved rhythmically, not fast, but not too slow either. Each note was full. Daddy was a pounder. Some pianists liked to play smoothly, keeping a finger on one note and only letting go when they pressed the next, sliding from beat to beat. Others liked to double tap; tipping the key slightly before committing to pressing it…Daddy was a pounder. One press and let go, on to the next key.

This song was sad, and his head was down. She didn't recognize it…but then she did. It was that song. The one he had made up, years ago. He had never gotten to play it right, and he always would be frustrated. Can't even play his own melody; that had to be the most pathetic thing he'd ever seen.

I shook my head, this tune was almost criminally sad. My sake must have alerted him, because he turned around and looked at me, a bit somber. He smiled once he saw it was me, but frowned a bit at my pajamas. I had the same type I had given him; it was a matching set…

"You don't have to be in school until nine, but here you are, up. I was trying to play softly…I woke you though…no? Okay then, but you're up, so explain that too me."

I had shaken my head unconsciously. Now I was left without anything to say. I could just say that he did wake me, get "caught" in a lie, but Daddy was smarter than that…and he already saw through her trying to stall. She had seen it in picture, but when you face down Phoenix Wright's game face in life…it was an incredible thing.

He had his first day of trial today, and he was ready…his entire being seemed to radiate "ready". Apollo was never like this. He was normally nervous, or he would be confident…but the energy coming off her father was unreal. It was like he was going to burst, but he still managed to play a soft, sad song. This was a legendary attorney?

I couldn't help but smile. He was infectious. His own smile just widened a bit to match mine. It didn't matter if he was going into this blind. He was going into it. The court room was his dream, and it was about to be made real again.

"Come on, what's the matter? Tell me. You don't want to go to school or something? You've been away long enough as it is. I can tell you about my trial later on."

He knew that wasn't it. She could tell that. He was giving her a way out.

"Nah. My history teacher adores you. They're going to televise your trial, and she wants us to sit and watch."

Phoenix blinked at that. He thought the crazy old bird hated his guts. Although, making children sit and watch his performance in trial was a bit much, still…

**May 19****th****, 2027 – 10: 50, Justice Venitri Courthouse, Lobby**

"Well, it's been a while, huh lobby? …Damn, I'm talking to room now. Guess I didn't take my meds today. Still, I'm psyched! Unhealthily pumped up too I might add, I've got to be careful about walls and my fist connecting…what…is that…? Guilty Love? Wait…if that's playing, and Trucy's not around with her player, then that means…Gavin."

Indeed, Klavier Gavin was hanging around, and snapped his phone shut at the mention of his name. His face was harsh and blank. He was in prosecutor mode. He looked Phoenix up and down before he spoke.

"You look different from the last time, Herr Wright. You'll be needing these."

He handed Phoenix the court record and the autopsy report, as well as a photo of the crime scene, and a picture of the murder weapon. He also held up a picture of the bullet removed from the victim. He gave Phoenix a measuring look.

"Last time, you lost on account of my brother. This time however, I know your client is guilty, Herr Wright. Unless you can perform miracles, this case is solid. Do you believe she is innocent? I need an answer."

Phoenix blinked; his smile at being in the lobby fading. It became a poker face, but he answered truthfully.

"Yes…and I'll give you the fight of my life to prove that, Klavier Gavin. Believe me…have you given any thought to my offer?"

"Ach…about that…I suppose I have time. Nein, I do have time. Keep the door open for me."

"It's a park; the doors being open goes without saying."

Gavin smirked at that one, but the next moment it was gone, and Viola came through the door, led by guards, not her own of course. Her attorney took one look at her face and knew this wouldn't be easy. He gave a smile though, just as he had been taught by Mia, all those years ago. A lawyer always smiles, for their client's sake.

"Ready?"

"…Would It be kind to say…no?"

"Will the defendant and defense attorney please make their way into the courtroom? The trial will start soon."

Phoenix still held his smile, and cocked his head a bit.

"Well, ready or not, here they come. So act it. Fake it till you make it."

**May 19****th****, 2027 – 11:00, Courtroom B**

"The court is now in session for the trial of Ms. Cadaverini, Viola. Are both parties ready?"

_Well, wow. Would you look at that? It's a new judge! He's beardless too! …I wonder how this will go…and where's the old judge?_

"The defense is ready your honor."  
>"The prosecution is also ready."<p>

_No poetry from Gavin? I've heard from Apollo that he's fond of big greetings… _

"Very well, then allow me to summarize the case for the court and jury. This is a murder trial; the victim is one Bruto Cadaverini, aged 86 at time of death. The defendant is one Viola Cadaverini, charged with the first degree variant of this charge. The alleged murder weapon was found at the crime scene, a large weapon that uses fifty five caliber bullet slugs. The defendant was apprehended at the scene of the crime, approximately two to thirty minutes after death. Defense, what does your client plea?"

_Damn. So far, he runs a pretty straight ship. This could go to my advantage, or could bite me hard._

"Not Guilty Your honor."

Nodding, the judge snapped his head towards Gavin.

"If there are no opening statements, I would ask you to begin your case, Mister Gavin."

"Yes, Your Honor…This case is simple. A murder weapon was found at the scene of the crime, the victim's bedroom. The defendant was the only one to enter that area in the entire span of the hour, as she was called to his room, and only her. The gun found at the scene of the crime has already been shown, and I would like to present the bullet found lodged in the victim's skull, here."

"I see. This is accepted by the court as evidence…do you wish to call your first witness?"

"…Yes your honor. The prosecution calls Bone-eye to the stand."

The judge raised an eyebrow, but offered no comment. Bone-eye? Well, it was a gang after all…

When the witness made it to the stand, Phoenix could see why he was called Bone-eye. He was a big, gruff man with short cropped hair, and one of his eyes seemed to have been damaged badly in a fight. It was a pure milky white, and stared unfocused…if you could find out where it was staring at all.

"Name and Occupation."

"Bone-eye, Muscle."

"Do you have an actual name, or must we indulge you?"

"Who's asking?"

"I am, the judge."

"…It's Bone-eye."

"Indulge we will then. Please testify."

As the witness opened his mouth, Phoenix took this time to open the court record and begin scouring what evidence he had been given. The murder weapon, a large 55 caliber specimen, had been shot twice, which went along with the testimony from Viola he had heard. There was a picture of the victim, with a bullet hole in his head, along with a picture of the bullet they found in there, and once again, even though it matched everything, Phoenix had to agree that the hole looked awfully small to house that behemoth. The autopsy report claimed Bruto had died somewhere between 9:00 – 10:00, yesterday night.

He then took a close look at the gun, all the while listening to the witness on the stand. The gun would barely fit in Viola's small grip, and the thing would kill her with knockback…he was reminded of the case Apollo had taken defending Machi Tobaye. He poked his fingers around a bit more, inspecting everything in their plastic bags before he heard the judge clear his throat.

"Mr. Wright. I see you have been familiarizing yourself with the evidence. Are you prepared to cross-examine now?"

"Yes, of course your honor."

"Witness, repeat your testimony for the defense now."

Bone-eye fixed his gaze on Phoenix and began again, meanwhile, Phoenix watched…

"I was stationed in front of the doors to the boss's room. He was expecting a deal today, so he wanted beef around the doors while his granddaughter would handle the fire…"

"So, you're saying he expected trouble?"

_That was uncharacteristic of me…didn't I used to yell "Hold It?"_

"You don't expect trouble when it comes to a rival gang, you're killed before you're born…anyway, I was there the whole time, the deal was supposed to go down at twelve in the park, so the boss called his Violetta to get her prepared. He wanted to give her somethin'...Violetta was the on-"

At that moment, Phoenix slammed his fist unto his podium.

"You say he wanted to "give her something"?"

"Yeah, what?"

"What is this "something"?"

The judge looked to Phoenix.

"Mr. Wright, do you believe this is an important detail?"

"The witness is obviously keeping details from the court our honor!"

"…Fair enough. Witness?"

Bone-eye looked bored, and fixed the judge with a stare that would make a lesser man back off, but the judge stayed rooted.

"Testify."

Furrowing his brow, he turned back to Phoenix.

_You know what? I think I like this new judge._

"I said it was something, because I don't know what it was. It was supposed to be something to make a point."

_Make a point?_

"Anyway, as I was saying, only Violetta went in there the whole time. Then I heard a gunshot and came in, the officer guy came not long after me-"

"So you're saying you heard one gunshot, and then rushed in, the police came right after?"

"Yeah."

"Those details aren't in your original testimony, your honor!"

"Yes, please be concise, witness."

"That's Bone-eye!"

Shaking his head, the judge looked down on Bone-eye.

"Accuracy in court precedes over all. If you won't give me your given name, I am forced to call you witness. Please testify."

Phoenix couldn't help but smile here. Spine, in a judge, was a new thing. He just hoped that spine wouldn't go against him too soon. Here it comes…he knew just what he needed to do. The contradiction was right here, staring him in the face, and he was ready for it…come on!

"Alright, as I was saying, I heard a gunshot and ran in-"

Slamming down both his hands, Phoenix let out a bellow that even surprised himself. Hell, it sounded like seven years' worth of pent up energy was fueling this one undulating protest. HE reminded himself of Furio Tigre, and then he had to grin…no. He was louder.

**_O-B-J-E-C-T-T-I-O-N_**

**_"OBJECTION!"_**

His finger was pointing straight at an empty witness stand. It took him a bit to realize that the witness had gone into hiding. Gavin and the judge were still standing, but Gavin was noticeably perspiring…the judge looked a bit peeved.

"Mr. Wright! Do you want to make us all deaf?.! Woe be unto the person who was watching this trial with headphones on…and why are you grinning like a fool whose found what he thinks is gold? Please enlighten the court as to your discovery…with your inside voice please.

"…Sure thing your honor…I apologize. I got carried away."

Somewhere, somehow, he was certain his daughter was laughing at him in this moment. Swallowing, Phoenix held up a picture of the gun.

"Your honor, this gun was indeed fired recently…twice."

"Yes…ahh I see where this is going. The witness claimed to only hear one gunshot, is that what you're getting at?"

_Good judge, smart judge…I make it sound like he's a dog…_

"Yes your honor. This gun was loud enough for the police to hear, stationed outside the building. It has no silencer and is quite large. Yet it was fired twice, and this witness only heard it once…either this witness is effectively deaf, or he's lying. I'd go with lying."

"Hey, I ain't no liar!"

"Then explain the single shot you heard!"

"I didn't hear the other one okay?"

"You were right there! In front of the room! This gun is huge! It was heard all the way outside! How could you have _not_ heard it?"

"I'm telling you I heard one shot!"

"Well then, somebody here had better do some explaining quick or-"

"Objection! Your Honor, Herr Wrigh-"

"Order! ORDER! Mr. Wright! Do not turn this court into your sandbox argument over who stole the cookies!"

Phoenix and Bone-eye both looked at the judge. So did Klavier. Oh yeah, he was still here. He didn't look happy either. With another bang of his gavel, he pointed the hammer at the witness. Klavier hadn't even gotten to say anything yet. His objection was squashed by the judge himself!

"Witness, please explain to the court why you did not hear a second shot that night, and do not leave anything out! Mr. Wright, as enthusiastic as you are, hold your energy in! You're not the only one who's making debut's here!"

_Well, he's got that right, just take a look at himself…wait, what if that's what he meant? Well, he certainly is a lot younger than the other two judges I've seen…_

"I told yah, I was stationed there the whole time. It had been a while, so I was leaning against the wall… Viola went in, I heard the gunshot, and rushed in to see a bunch of people, then the police came-"

"_**HOLD IT!"**_

"Mr. Wright! Indoor voice!"

"Your honor; that detail wasn't heard before! Previously, the witness claimed that "only the defendant had gone through the door"! Now he's claiming a bunch of people followed her not long after, or were there before! No one has heard of these people as of yet! Any one of them could have fired off the gun!

"Objection! Herr Wright, what are you suggesting? That the fraulein is an accomplice by way of keeping silent? You said yourself, these people entered after her; if that's the case…then she would have seen the shooter and is withholding information from us!"

He gave quite the point at that statement, but Phoenix was ready for him there too. This was where he actually had a foot he didn't have.

"**OBJECTION!** Who said anything about her withholding information? I spoke with her last night in the detention center, and she told me a series of events that well fits this scenario quite soundly, if you believe the witness is lying on one point."

"..."

"Achtung! We have already gone over the point of the witness "lying" about hearing a single shot-"

"OBJECTION! Who said anything about the number of shots? I just said that my client had told me a story that fits this witness's account to a "T" if we believe the witness is lying on one point, and that point is the state he was in while guarding-"

"Objection! Herr Wright, I fail to see where you are going with this."

Shaking his head, Phoenix gave a simple smirk.

"Then let me explain. Bone-eye! How long had you been guarding there?"

"A couple hours."

"How many hours?"

"At least three, maybe up to five."

"Did you have any form of entertainment during that time?"

"Objection! Relevance…what is the relevance to this in relation to the trail at hand?"

"Your honor, just give me a moment, I am trying to ascertain in my head this witness's state at the crime scene."

"…Objection…Overruled, for the time being, and only because I believe I can see the relevance. Make your point quickly Wright."

"Thank you your honor. Bone-eye, answer please!"

"…Yeah. I had some music playing. Only in one ear though, and not loud, I hate loud music in one ear."

"I see. It had been a long day right? Did you just happen too…nod off at one time?"

"What? No! Hell no! I was as sharp as a tack, the entire time!"

Phoenix held up the autopsy report.

"With my indoor voice, I say, Objection. If we are to believe this witness, and the evidence at hand, then we are to believe that, while this guard was as sharp as a tack and listening intently, a very, very loud and powerful gun was shot twice, and he only heard it once. Not only that, but he claims to have been there for hours, and yet he only saw Viola enter the room, when he now clearly tells us there were other people present in the room when he got there…if I'm to believe this, then I have to tell you…"

Phoenix pointed with that demonic finger of his right at Bone-eye.

"Your guarding stinks, and so does your lying!"

"Gah!"

"Objection! What does it matter about the other people in the room? The witness heard the shot when the defendant stepped in, not while the others were present. It could have been a meeting between family-"

"OBJECTION! Prosecutor Gavin, I would have thought better of you! Do you really think someone of my client's stature could simply walk into a room full of thugs and shoot their boss just like that, and everybody simply waits for the police to pound up the stairs?.! It hardly goes without saying that they would have tried to kill her-"

"Objection! She is the granddaughter of the crime boss! She has authority over them! They would have been held back by-"

"Objection! She had no authority over them; the boss had yet to give her any! To besides, don't you find it strange that someone is shot almost as soon as she walks in, if that is the case? It could have been a framing! Her walking in at the perfect time to be pinned."

"Proof Wright. I need proof! Convince me they shot him at that moment to frame her, and if so, why she hasn't said so up to now!"

Phoenix shook his head and shrugged a smile on his face.

"Ha ha. I can't Gavin."

The judge's eyes widened a bit. And Klavier looked pissed. He was bluffing the entire time? Why, that deserved a…

"Mr. Wright, we are not here to play games! This is a murder trial and we should be serious in our accusations! I think that you know the punishment for this!"

"Of course your honor, which is why I said from the beginning that this is not what happened."

"Achtung! Hold It! What did you say Herr Wright? W-what do you mean-."

"Hold it there. I already told you what I mean. I said that my client had a story that meshes perfectly to what the witness is saying, if we believe he was sleeping or otherwise distracted. I took the liberty to record our conversation, with her permission of course; so that I could review it for details later on. If I may submit it to the court?"

"…Do so. I believe this evidence has not been cleared by the police…but you are submitting it under…?"

"The relevancy law of evidence your honor."

"Of course. Let's play it and see."

The voices, familiar and empty, floated out from the device as the judge pressed play:

**+-Evidence-+**

_"First off, why threaten me if you really are innocent?"_

_"…I didn't know any other way to get your attention. I had to…make sure you would answer my call. The soft voice… is most often ignored."_

_"When did you find he was dead? How was he positioned? Why did you go there? I going to need a scene, so describe it too me. I know you don't speak much, but I need details to work with."_

_"I…I found him at around ten…this night. He had called me to him today when I was in Tender Lender, around eight thirty. He wanted to discuss some business. I was to meet him as soon as the convenience arose. I finished my work at Tender Lender and closed shop and drove to my grandfather's residence. I must have arrived after nine thirty. …I was held up by a member of the family in house for about fifteen minutes. I remember thinking there was a scuffle in the house, I thought it was between two hot headed muscles at the time. I believe the time was past nine fifty when I made my way to my grandfather's room. As he hardly leaves his bed now except for business…_

_"Upon arriving in the room, I remembered smelling something burning. …That and fresh green tea leaves... I came up to the bed and saw my grandfather, a bullet hole in his head, and a gun in between his legs, as if for support. I found that odd…_

_"I don't remember screaming, but members of the family on duty rushed in, so I must have made some sound. I remember one of them mentioning the police being right outside, which I found strange at the time…_

_"One of the members by the door came up to me and grabbed the gun from my grandfather's legs. At that time, it discharged by accident and knocked him back. Not even a few minutes later, a detective barged through the door, obviously drawn to the sound. At that time, I was apprehended and arrested. It was an easy arrest, which troubles me further…"_

_"Are you sure you arrived in that room around ten o clock? Not before…? Minutes matter; and your "testimony" has quite a lot of wiggle room there."_

_"I arrived in the room after ten. I remember seeing the clock say ten o clock, but I don't remember the exact minute it was... It was in the single digits however. …Of the other times, I cannot give you a clearer picture than I already have, I don't own a watch, and I do not normally look at my phone… unless I need to make a call."_

_"Duly noted. Okay, you said you found a number of things strange. What was your reasoning behind them? "_

_"…The gun, the smell…police…the sound. The gun was large, a fifty five caliber slug slinger rifle. It's not our standard issue… a gun like that is too big to work effectively under pressure. Also…the bullet hole. The gun was too close. In between his legs…but the hole was average sized. If that gun was used so close to my grandfather…"_

_"…It would have blown his head clean off, almost."_

_"…Yes. The sound too, bothered me, because, as the cause of death confirms, grandfather died while I was in the house…but nobody heard the gun go off…but at the same time…"_

_"This gun was loud enough to alert police stationed outside."_

_"…Why were they there? The police never interfere with the Cadaverini…they were not there when I arrived."_

_"…Why would the police hang around a powerful gang establishment when they never dare go near there ordinarily…?"_

_"Yes. That was my thought."_

_"Incidentally, the bullet. Did they…?"_

_"It matches the gun found at the scene."_

**+-Evidence-+**

"I believe that proves the point. The members this witness saw standing around were the family that had rushed in when Viola had seen the state of her grandfather, and the gunshot he heard was obviously the discharge from the second shot the gun fired, when one member had grabbed the gun from his legs…incidentally, if we look at the crime scene photo taken by the police…we can all see that the gun is on the floor here, not in between his legs-"

"Objection! Herr Wright, this does not prove that the gun was there to begin with. It could have been there the whole time, and this detail and elaborate detail thrown in by the defendant to explain why she fired twice-"

"Objection! I'm not done yet, look at the bed itself, the sheets specifically…right…there!"

"Ahh. Is that a bullet hole? It's quite large…frighteningly so."

"Indeed your honor. That is a bullet hole. Its position and size fit the idea of the gun being at an angle and distance similar to being in-between the victim's legs-"

"Objection!"

Phoenix turned to look at Gavin, who was smiling lightly. This didn't bode well. The defense attorney simply blinked at his opponent's apparent ease.

"Herr Wright. This is all very interesting. It does not, however, change the accusation of murder. All you've done is rearrange the crime scene a little, but you have yet to give any evidence that clears your defendant! I am still waiting…for me, the legendary turnabout attorney has yet to rise!"

"Prosecutor Gavin holds a valid point, Mr. Wright."

Ooh, freezer-burn. He was correct in his own way, but Phoenix wasn't out of ammo just yet, and he'd prove it. He presented his recording once again, that, and the crime photo, along with the gun. Pushing all of this evidence in front of him, the judge gave him a surprised mask.

"Where is all this evidence coming from?"

"I object. Let me reiterate my point, and then maybe you can see where I am coming from, Klavier. Now, according to this crime scene photo, we see what kind of damage this gun can do at close range, yet if we look at the victim, the bullet hole is barely big enough to fit the bullet itself, it's something that my client has noticed too, via this recording. Now tell me, this gun is quite large, and is quite loud. How can it be that if was used twice and only heard once? How is it that the wound is so small on the victim? I have a proposition to make. I believe this gun…

…is in fact, not the murder weapon.

"Objection! The bullet matches the gun-"

"OBJECTION! I refuse to believe this bullet is the one that killed this victim as well!"

"W-what…?"

"The facts are right here! If this is the murder weapon, fired at the proposed range, within this small room, the resulting impact from bullet to skull would have dashed his brains out and left his head half on, if on at all!"

"Mr. Wright; that did not leave me with a good image…"

"I'm sorry your honor, but it is the truth. I believe this gun was fired off scene, perhaps with a silencer equipped, or not… the bullet harvested and then switched. The gun could have been left behind possible silencer taken-"

"Objection! That…that scenario is…too elaborate! Why would someone go through all that trouble-"

"OBJECTION! We are talking about the death of a crime boss, and the conviction of his only proper heir. Observing this, we must look ahead. If there is a motive for someone else to have taken this man's life it is obviously because they believe that, with Viola gone, they may be able to capture the control of the mob. Money and power, ripe for the taking, and not just any kind of money; dollars, dollars ranging in the millions, power to be near untouchable by the police! My client commented on this too. The infiltration of the police into the mansion, the fact they were there to begin with…it was too easy, too convenient!"

"Mr. Wright, if I am hearing correctly…you are suggesting that there is unrest and plotting in the ranks, am I correct? You are suggesting this is a multilayered incident, a scheme concerning more than one individual, an **execution**?"

_Am I suggesting an execution? Of course! This was all planned, and it had to happen today, on the day Viola would receive something, and would be sent out on a job that would put her in direct danger, the line of fire. It had to be now, before she proved that she could be the boss! That's my opening!_

"Of course your honor. I'm suggesting opportune malice aforethought; Bruto was laid out like a Christmas Turkey and shot in cold blood, not by one hand, but by a weapon guided on the schemes of many!"

After I made that claim, the court wouldn't calm down. I had almost literally raised the roof, and it wouldn't be coming down for a long while. The judge ended proceedings for that day, instructing us both to make sure to look into every possibility, and if our cases needed to change, that time would be in opening statements tomorrow.

Me though…I was feeling way too good. Should have known it wasn't going to last too long.

**+-~E~-+**

_Gah! Me and my boring trials. My failure to make it interesting shocks me. Ahh, I wanted to say something, but I forgot it, so you forget it too. Ahh, I wrote this in one sitting, and now I realize that it's after four…and I haven't had lunch yet. Throughout most of the first part, I was listening to "Forgotten Legend" Recollection. It sets quite the feeling I tell you. _

_That saying "Anybody can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a daddy." is a real statement on an actual piece of father's day merchandise. I know because I gave one to my own father. Just giving credit where it's due. I was thinking of it while writing for Trucy._

_Ahh well. I felt like I wasted a lot of time on scenes in this chapter, but the trial was sparse, not good. Gavin seems dangerously out of character too.~ Finalage._


	5. Cold Embrace: Chapter IV

_I had a chapter you know, but I deleted it. I didn't like it, plus it was taking me too long to follow that point. So, I'll try another. It seems I haven't got any reviews, but that's fine. Two chapters is nothing I can't handle. Three empty chapters may worry me but…ahh, not too much. I'm not here for the wonderful comments and support, at least, I should not be. I should be here…to tell you all a story._

_I don't own any rights to Ace Attorney or any franchise related, clear?_

_This was kind of hard to formulate, so as a result, it's not too hot._

**_+~-VA -~+_**

**_Chapter Four: Cold Embrace_**

**_+~-PADR-~+_**

_It's dark. Not so dark that I can't see, but dark enough. Snow, blanketing white snow, falls to the ground around me. I seem to step between the flakes that coat the ground, my feet make no sound, leave no mark…behind me, a cape flaps in the soft wind. _

_I'm wrong again. The wind is high, but I don't feel it. I reach out to touch a tree in passing…it's solid, but again…I can't feel. This must be a dream…like the last one. If I just pinched myself…_

_The sight of my hands made the motion stop. Without gloves, they looked old, blue. Was I numb? _

_The wind whispered softly. The snow fell silently, their flakes were mesmerizing. It took a bit of looking for me to tell why. The snow was made of words. Crisp, tiny words, some sharp, others soft...all of them white. Watching as one fell on my hand, I strained to see…_

"_Lost" _

_The flake flew from me before I had a chance to shake it off. Off in the distance, I heard a cry. Soft and sharp all at once, it pulled at me…before I knew it, I was there…or maybe I should say here. Weird huh? In the snow, I saw myself. Cold and shivering; a downtrodden little me was standing there. This was…that time, wasn't it? _

_It was the middle of winter, and I had wanted to take daddy with me on a trip, a ski resort would be nice, if they ever got the money for it. We found a way though; because I wanted to go so bad…how did Daddy get the money?_

_I got lost in the mountains, covered with snow. Daddy had come looking for me, in nothing but a sweater, pants and a hat, barefoot, he scoured the hills. I had a big coat, making me look like a peach marshmallow against the trees. _

_The dark, the cold, the emptiness…most of all, the big emptiness, the voiding of life. _

_When I did meet life…It was a bear. A big, whitish one…or perhaps that was just the snow. It looked haggard, and one of its paws seemed bent at an odd angle…it was not happy. Grumpy…agitated Daddy had said. It growled at my appearance…what would he want with me, the peach marshmallow? _

_To me…he looked hungry. It was slow. Slow but sure in his approach, eyes on me the whole time. It stank of moss and mud, sweat and grime, rotten fish and maybe pine. The teeth were apparent. I was supposed to back away…but I was frozen in place. Too…cold._

_Before me, the scene unfolded. I…I screamed, and branches snapped as the beast lunged. I finally snapped, turning around and slipping. Barely, I was missed, but the gash in my coat, the hood ripped off and spilling cotton on the already white ground, warned me that I might not be so lucky again. Run! I should run! The bear recovered quickly, locking on to me with beady eyes. I had issued a challenge to it by staying still, by screaming…_

_Now it would never leave me alone. I watched it come again, more sure, faster. My mouth would not shut up. I didn't realize how loud…how piercing my screams were. From the forest, crashes could be heard, but they were too far away…Daddy hadn't been so far away last time! No…he wasn't far away…_

_Again, it lunged, and this time I was pinned. Low to its legs, so it had to raise a bit to see me, trapped by fear. An eternity seemed to pass before a large stone flew through the air, smacking the thing behinds its head. Roaring, it turned, seeing Daddy there, his eyes ablaze, another stone in his fist._

"_Trucy…go! Get back to the lodge!"_

_From that moment on…everything changed. What had once been a slow, painful affair of cat and mouse was now a quick, deep throated horror. The bear lunged, teeth bared…unnatural. This…this didn't happen! It never bowled Daddy down, he never screamed!_

…_There was never blood…_

Her own screaming woke her up, and she sat up, straight as a board…in her desk. Oh great. It was still morning, and the teacher glared while the girl received odd looks. Hand on a remote, and having been fiddling with the television set for quite a while, the instructor was not pleased. It was almost time for the televising of the trial, so she was irritable.

"Miss Enigmar…oh fine- Gramarye; if you are not as interested in this event as the rest of us, you may find enlightenment in a little assignment. I'm extending the length of your personal paper to two pages, back and front. Perhaps in writing that you'll see the real effect the law has on society throughout history."

Great…could someone even write that much in one night? Oh, wait, Apollo wrote that much on his case files about every night…what was the topic of this paper anyway? Oh, there it was, on the board…she frowned a bit after seeing it though: "After seeing the trial, what effect do you think being disbarred has had on Mr. Wright's life and methods? Do you think he is better for it, why or why not? Finally, write a question you would like to ask any person working in law, and predict what they might tell you. Minimum length is one page typed. (One and a half to two handwritten.)"

What kind of effect did it have on his techniques and life? She didn't need to think about that one. She understood the fact that, as an Enigmar, or as a Gramarye, she was safe from people who would have originally sneered at her, daughter to a fallen attorney...but sometimes she wished she could just…

People were shallow. One moment, they were throwing dirt on her father, shooting him down and writing about how he should just bury himself somewhere…but once it was proved he was innocent, all the hate and disgust against him that had built up in the last seven, eight years…it dissipated. Everyone _loved_ him now. What kind of love was that? Was her father just supposed to forget and forgive? Sure, being strong was one thing…but couldn't anyone see?

They had nearly killed him…and her.

Trucy would have to ask her father how the whole trial went when she got home. The T.V would only show the silly moments…

Daddy would tell her everything.

Speaking of daddy…

**May 19th, 2027 – 4:45, Cadaverini Mansion, Outside.**

Trucy smiled a bit as she watched her father approach the building with a purposeful march. He wasn't stopped by anyone, not until he reached the doors that was, but even then, her father only gave a halfway kind of pause. He was too full of energy, and he beat his way up to the crime scene like a kid who knew where all the Easter eggs were hidden.

He was stopped outside the room by one lab coat and a well-aimed chocolate snack however. The thing bounced off his head and ricocheted off the door before grazing his shoulder on the way down. Phoenix blinked. He should have known better than to try to waltz into the place like Edgeworth of Von-Karma would…but come on, he just wanted to try it for once, it made him feel good!

Sighing, he turned to face his opposition, but instead was met with a stifled gasp, and he slammed into the wall back first with the force of someone throwing themselves at him. He could barely see anything save for a mass of brown hair on the horizon, and what he could see was tinted in a deep red-pink. His nose picked up light perfume, but the overall scent he got was Luminol, or what he recognized as the mixture of liquids it floated around in. He got that and the essence of iron, as if it were a fine power covering the person in front of him.

"E-Ema? Ema Skye?"

Oh, that's right…Phoenix had never really had a real chance to catch up with her, didn't he? To him, this was still the sixteen year old he had met back then…this projectile throwing, bitter save for science mini-tank of a detective woman…

…she was reduced into a simply standing girl next to her daddy. Did he unlock her or something? Regardless, he was here for business, and he stated so.

"Ahh…well, It's been a while Ema…but…we're both working right now, maybe you'd like to come over later…? Anyway, I need to get in there."

Ema's face fell from a happy one to one Trucy was more used too; a kind of sad sarcastic smile, the kind of look the detective gave Apollo when he mentioned trying scientific investigation, carefully contained excitement.

"I'm afraid I can't let you go in there Mr. Wright…I…have orders."

"Ha ha, of course, I understand that. Would you mind just simply looking the other way then?"

"What?.!"

Phoenix shrugged.

"You know as well as I do that the first chance I get, I'm in there, regardless of what you or anybody says. You should know that from our time investigating together. I've got a big nose. I'm just telling you to conveniently look the other way for me; because, even if I believe you hold a tighter ship than Gumshoe did…the police can't catch everything. I have a tendency to find things they missed. If you don't let me by, I'll just have to climb through the window or come back when you're not here…I'd rather not do that, I'm not as young as I used to be, huh?"

Ema looked him up and down. He was both bigger and smaller than she remembered. Less warmth, less softness and more power, he was wider around the upper body but thinner at the waist. He was clean shaven today, and she noticed he had a tan from what she remembered…

"Mr. Wright, you're not old."

"I remember both you and Maya saying something completely different when I knew you years before."

"…Meaning?"

"You used to call me old."

Blinking, Ema looked at him strangely.

"I…did? …and you _remember_ that?.! That was almost a decade ago Mr. Wright! I was sixteen, everybody was old to me!"

She looked aghast here, her hand held out towards him in exasperation. He just smiled and shook his head.

"So, am I going to be allowed to slip past your guard, or do I really have to slip past you?"

Ema returned back to her original pose of sure sarcasm…but she did so slowly, as if unsure. Her smile widened a bit after looking over Phoenix again.

"You…you really would do anything for your clients, wouldn't you…Phoenix? You trust them…us…completely."

Looking from Father to Detective, Trucy couldn't help but feel that Ema's emotions were being played with, even though she knew it was far from true. Her father seemed that today was his could do no wrong day.

"That was my job Ema. It always has been. Would you let us through, please?"

Again, that small smile.

"I guess I do need a bit of coffee. Mr. Wright…I respect you, I do…but please. No more than five or ten minutes. If I walk in and see you, I'll arrest you. You're only human after all, and even though I hate his manners, your opponent is still my boss."

She made to brush past him for the steps, but she paused momentarily when he spoke again.

"Thank you Ema. Ten minutes is plenty of time, I think I know what I'm looking for…"

As the detective walked past him, Phoenix's mind replayed what his client had told him of that night. Of that testimony, a few things stuck out at him. A few things he had either been unable to explain or had not gotten too earlier today;

"…_remember thinking __**there was a scuffle**__…"_

"…_that and __**fresh green tea leaves**__…"_

"…_gun __**between his legs**__ as if for support…"_

"…_don't __**remember**__ screaming…"_

"…_police being __**right outside**__…"_

"…_discharged __**by accident**__…"_

"…_it was an__** easy arrest**__…"_

These statements swirled around his head as he let the doors close behind him and his daughter, eyes surveying the scene. The first thing he noticed was the smell. The burning was gone, but there was a smell of something soggy and distinctly tea like. His nose led him to the bed, where he surveyed the large hole in its sheets and mattress. He looked at it closely, taking into account that it was a clean hole, through and through, with residue on the outside from the shot fired.

…_The bullet matches the gun found at the crime scene…_

Phoenix motioned to Trucy, who was busy paying attention to the walls with interest. The bed reeked of soggy tea, but it wasn't damp or stained anywhere…he bent down to look under it, but saw nothing but dust bunnies, and he coughed. The smell was stronger here, sitting down…

"Trucy, do you mind if I borrow your gloves?"

Blinking, she looked at his hands. Originally she was planning on telling him they wouldn't fit him, but then she saw his eyes. He didn't want to wear them…she handed over the accessories silently. Phoenix accepted them and used one to grip the mattress and lift it slightly, and the other he used as a probe. A tinkle of china interrupted his search. There was…a cut out in the bottom mattress, covered by a stiff flap, flush with the surface. Inside was a cup, some pieces of paper and a slightly small, light gun. There was also some cash and what looked like a ring box.

Slipping his daughter's glove unto a few choice fingers and leaving the palm and other fingers dangling, he scooped the cup and set it on a nightstand, as well as the gun and paper. He hesitated before removing the ring box too, and found a key lying underneath it. He took that too before carefully lowering the mattress back to its original position.

He turned to see shining eyes. This was a goldmine, that's what they said, but Phoenix was more cautious. He had to discern what was actually useful and what wasn't, and what was simply placed here and what was genuine.

He had no doubts. Some of this, maybe most of it, would be useless, and what was could be false. Regardless of the goon appearance…this was the biggest mob in the city. They were intelligent in operation.

Phoenix stuffed what he had found in different bags, taking his time with the tea, and gave the gloves back to his daughter.

"Daddy, there's something weird about those books over there…"

She pointed to the offending case, and Phoenix approached it, nodding to her all the while and giving it a once over. Trucy looked over the bed again. She turned her head to observe the sheets. Back over in Phoenix's corner…he noticed nothing odd about the furniture in front of him…but then he saw it. One single book. It had a small black mark on the binding. He looked around a bit before he gave up and asked for the gloves again. Removing the book, he saw it was covered in soot on the front cover. No, not soot…gunpowder.

The heck was going on? Phoenix took the book with him too before sneaking out of the room to wait. He figured that for now, he had found enough after giving another once over, and he wanted to wait for Ema again. He needed to ask her a little favor.

A _scientific_ favor.

**May 19th, 2027 – 6:18, Wright & Z-Anything Co. (Attorneys at Law)**

Yes, the sign had changed. He knew it wasn't anything like it was before, but Phoenix had taken the time and effort to straighten up again. Taking into account his daughter's possessions, he had managed to make a sort of semi-miracle occur organization wise. The atmosphere was hopeful here. Phoenix had already spread the classifieds and real estate flyers across the table near the couch, the only disorganized area in the makeshift house.

Phoenix wanted an apartment again, no, scratch that, he was hoping to gain savings to buy a freaking house….obvious reasons; not all of them having to do with his daughter…swirl through his mind. His current guest watched as he flew about the small space, stepping over certain obstacles as if he did it every day; which he kind of did. Her simple blue eyes roved around the "home office". In front of her, photos of a tea cup, gun and ring box were scattered.

Ema Skye took a sip from her coffee, only pausing to realize her mug had a small chip where she was trying to drink and adjusting it accordingly. Her free hand came up to push some stray locks of hair behind her shoulders. Beside her, Apollo stood, looking over her to the pictures, staring.

"There's atroquinine on that tea cup?"

Phoenix appeared from the kitchen, carting two plates of spaghetti and meatballs. He handed one to Apollo and put the other in front of Ema, grabbing the pictures with a free hand.

"There's no telling what it is Apollo. This was tested with Luminol, and besides finding out if Atroquinine is around, can be used to find out if blood is present or something else…"

"What?"

Phoenix closed his eyes after glancing at Ema, seeing that was contemplating the plate in front of her, as if unsure was it actually was.

"Umm…as far as I can remember…Luminol is a substance that can react with iron or some similar…component…and light up. In blood, it's the iron in hemoglobin that causes the mixture luminol to glow, but any…ahh damn, I know this term…alkaloid! Any alkaloid can cause this to glow, so it's not certain what the substance in this cup really is…"

"Mr. Wright…Phoenix…that's both impressive and slightly wrong."

Ema finally seemed to have figured out that a fork was the proper tool to attack he plate, and she pointed hers at Phoenix, allowing some starch food to escape its clutches and almost find purchase on the ground, but she caught it before it could get there.

"Luminol performs chemiluminescence when it's exposed to an oxidant. Hydrogen peroxide and hydroxide salt water can be used to active it's glow too. When it comes to iron, hydrogen peroxide decomposes to form oxygen and water. It's not alkaloids that really cause it to react, but copper or certain alloys, even old bleach can cause the reaction, it can also detect feces and glow because of contact with that, or even-"

"Stop, stop, please…small words Ema! I'm a lawyer, not a scientist!"

This came from Apollo, but no one can say Phoenix wasn't thinking the same thing. Still, he had tried to occupy himself in the years without his badge, so he was able to follow Ema in her little tirade.

"In short Apollo, we don't know what it is in that cup, but I'm pretty sure it's not something you normally would drink in such large amounts, at least, not do so and expect to be alive soon after. Ema, could you get this tested? I know it's not official evidence and the lab wouldn't let you, but if you tell them truthfully that it was found at the crime scene…"

"What do you take me for? Here I thought you'd found out about my home lab…sure, I'll submit this into evidence, but it means that fop of a boss I have will see it…"

"That doesn't matter, only the-"

"Truth does. Yes Mr. Wright, I understand…still, I thought you liked to keep your weapons hidden?"

At this, the man turned to look out the window, and spare a quick glance where Trucy was watching the television.

"…Keeping hidden weapons isn't something an attorney accused of forging evidence should do, regardless of how effective it is, and tell Klavier that when you show him this. I've learned enough about how people think to see that Ema. It doesn't matter if you did it or not, what matters is if people think you did or not. Even proven innocent, the belief is still there."

Taken aback, Ema chose to stuff her fork in her mouth, looking for something to say to counter balance the other's statement. She managed to swallow, but by that time, she still hadn't come up with the answer she wanted, and Phoenix had already gone to get his own and Trucy's food.

"Since when did Mr. Wright know how to cook?"

Shot with this sudden question, Apollo shrugged. As far as he knew, after the noodle incident, Mr. Wright had always shown, occasionally when money allowed, that he could cook. Yet, according to what Ema had just said, he had never shown her he could. He guessed that he had learned from taking care of Trucy, after all it made sense…

"…Taking care of Trucy…?"

"…I suppose…wonder if he has a recipe…"

"Ema…its spaghetti and meatballs…"

"…but he might have put certain spices in it, and he may have a method of cooking it!"

Ema flicked her fork at him in saying this, and beaned Apollo in the eye with some sauce, causing him to yelp. Man, even without her snackoos! His eye, it burned! Was there pepper in this sauce!.?

"G-g-gaaaah! My eye! Ema!"

"Whoops, sorry."

Oblivious, she just continued to eat, leaving Apollo in his one eyed search for the bathroom.

**+~-1-~+**

Sitting in the dark, Trucy raised her report to unseeing eyes. She knew exactly what it said, a product of dozens of erases and much crumpling. Surprisingly, she still held the same piece of paper that she had started with. It was shabbier than shabby due to her abuse, and the words on it…bit. They bit and held on, hard. She contemplated erasing the forceful line she had struck through her last name, but he teacher's face made her abandon that thought.

She felt like she really should just crumple the paper one final time and toss it out the window, but she couldn't. It was out of her element, angry and harsh, and it spoke the truth. Her father had always told her to value the ugly truth and harsh light above any beautiful lie…this paper wasn't written by her, it was written by an invisible hand of anger. Feelings normally kept well wrapped and delicately covered.

_Trucy Enigmar_ Gramarye **Wright**_, 05-19-2027, Public School 740, History (Just imagine underlined words crossed out.)_

_Assignment Prompt: "After seeing the trial, what effect do you think being disbarred has had on Mr. Wright's life and methods? Do you think he is better for it, why or why not? Finally, write a question you would like to ask any person working in law, and predict what they might tell you. Minimum length is one page typed. (One and a half to two handwritten- Extended to two; double sided.)"_

_Response: _

_No. No, no, no. "Mr. Wright" is NOT better for being disbarred, regardless of his "better" and "stronger" performance in courts. His confidence in court could have been achieved just the same through years of continuing his life in law. So could his strength. If Phoenix Wright had stayed a lawyer until now, none of the hardships he faced in the near eight years he was without his badge would have happened._

_The effect of being disbarred had had a terrible effect upon Mr. Wright's **daddy's**__, life. Yes, I said daddy. Mr. Wright lost his badge in the case of state against Zac Enigmar, or Zac Gramarye, he was defending my father. Phoenix Wright lost everything in the loss of his badge; at least that was his original belief. His friends, work partners, neighbors…they all disbarred him too, from their lives. In the beginning he was __sad__, depressed. He tried reaching out to friends, but found cold shoulders in their places. In that case, I lost my father to a disappearing act. It's been said that we both lost a part of ourselves then._

_I was adopted by Phoenix Wright barely months after, and since then I've seen how much he valued his job, he used to carry that tiny thing around on his person all the time, even when not actually in court. Without it, he said he was lost. He adopted clothes that made people call him a hobo, putting on a hoodie and old pants with a stubbly face made people ignore him, where before they would jeer and sneer. He put me in school, under my given name, even though at home I always called myself Wright. He buried himself in trying to provide for the household…he lost his apartment not long after I moved in, and he took to his office to make a home. I hated the way he couldn't even walk outside without putting on his hood, for fear of people recognizing him. Always saying he was fine, but with blood behind the ears._

_I made him a hat to hide his hair, and remind him that I would still be there when he came home, that he wasn't "Crooked Ex Attorney" to me. He hardly ever takes it off now; in court today was one of the few times besides sleeping that I've seen him without it. He called me his light. I just called him daddy, and I never stopped, because it made him smile. Even when he lost his job at the grocery; even every time he was rejected when he spoke his name, regardless of his "credentials", I'd try a smile, and he would too. When he came home every night, freezing in sandals form the snow and the cold of an icy restaurant he had finally gotten work at…I would still be up. The promise was that we would never leave, neither of us. We would never leave the other all alone. Up until now, we've kept the promise. Bears, knives, murder charges, cars…nothing would stop us, invincible, flawless magic. Even if he "hated" magicians, he never did anything to "hate" me. _

_"It doesn't matter if you did it or not, what matters is if people think you did or not. Even proven innocent, the belief is still there" I have heard him say this at least once, and it proves to me that another effect of "Phoenix Wright's" disbarment is his loss of trust. One of the main things said to be a key in an attorney is trust of their client. It is no longer so easy to trust people he meets, after seeing the darker side of life, daddy's more cautious, compared to his apprentice, Apollo Justice. It has damaged him to such a point he can't really keep to one of his main guidelines._

_I would like to ask someone in law this question: "How is it that Prosecutors can be rumored to have provided false evidence, be proven to have done so and had willful knowledge and intent, and still only be scolded for it? Why was Phoenix Wright, an innocent person, disbarred?" I do not know how they would answer this question, or if they would answer me at all. So I asked my friend Polly…Apollo Justice, attorney at law. He couldn't really answer me either, but he told me that he didn't get how it was fair himself; and guessed that perhaps the defense was less forgiving of crooked intent than the state driven prosecutors. He said sometimes a prosecutor might make a hard choice and present false evidence to a witness in order to get them to talk, and so it might be a tactic they're allowed to use…but he still said he wasn't sure…_

Her paper went on of course, spilling things she never thought she had the venom to say. As if an angry demon had taken hold of her hand and wrote a whole convention's worth of evil magic tricks. Her hands came around the paper and again crumpled it up…but again, she reached out and blindly smoothed it against the wall.

There was more than one side to every person after all, and Trucy was done hiding this one.

**+-~E~-+**

_Ahh, Trucy seems extremely out of character for this entire chapter. At least, she does to me, but that's what reviews are for. I don't like Ema or Apollo's personality too, their like figurines in this chapter, and Phoenix only searched for evidence. This chapter was hard, and took a while. I am sorry for that. Now berate me with that button down there! ~Finalage._


	6. Foolish Pride: Chapter V

_So, last chapter was tough on me, does that mean this one will be? Ha! Let's see, shall we? I try... Still, that doesn't change the fact I don't own anything concerning Ace Attorney, happy reading to you. My pace for this story is excruciatingly slow…but then I remind myself, I have to go through a trial here…_

_Tough audience, so I'll just keep plowing, till somebody tells me to stop…and just as I think that, a review comes, lighting a fire under my arse. Let's go! Thanks for your words, I'll keep them in mind. If out of character is my problem, then I shall smash it! ~Finalage. _

**_+~-VA -~+_**

**_Chapter Five: Foolish Pride_**

**_+~-PADR-~+_**

**May 19th, 2027, Time unknown. Place unknown.**

_That night, the city lit up in a parade of lights. Sparkling, delusional lights, drifting by in a sea of steel and concrete, it was an industrial jungle, all for me to see. Flying, I must have been, high off the fumes of life…or was it something else? A bird flew straight into my eye, and red was all I saw…_

"…Yes? This is…ahh… Wright & Z-Anything Co, Attorneys at Law…how can I help you?"

"Wright and zany things…it fits…maybe."

"No, no, no, it's Wright &-"

"I need a defense attorney. "

**May 19th, 2027 – 10:18; The Borsht Bowl.**

The piano was the sole star today, backed up by a quiet, implied bass. A soft sax cried out to the audience, but that didn't stop the toothy keys from taking the prize. The restaurant was cold today, a thin film of ice seemed to coat all that mist didn't stretch its hand to. Tonight, after a day of the court and evidence hunting, here in the frigid cold… Phoenix was feeling poetic. He had back up today, someone who he could hide his missed keys behind. Not that he was missing too many anymore.

Viola Cadaverini…Bruto Cadaverini, Bone-eye and the others, even Furio, though he was gone. Phoenix was calm as he thought over the case, his hands occupied with the instrument in front of him. It had been a debate, but Phoenix had decided to keep his job here. Sure, it meant late night work, but he was used to that by now. The Borsht Bowl had a connection to him, a long history of employment…it had been good to him, so why abandon it?

It gave him connections anyway. This was where he had met Viola after all, for the second time, four years ago. He wasn't kidding when he told Apollo he thought that was their last meeting…she had sat right there, the table he normally took for his own, the one near the piano…it was the dimmest corner of the room after all…

_+-~Mason~-+_

_Three, almost four years, and he still couldn't play to save his life…or so he liked to believe. Truth be told, Phoenix never put much effort into his playing anyway. He just sat there and tapped the keys, and sound came out. There was no real intelligence to what he was doing…no one expected him to have any to spare anyway. He was to play poker, and pretend to play piano, his job ladies and gentlemen. _

_She came in, a quick step with a short stop at the door, the kind of entrance one makes when they want to escape a torrent of rain, yet still wishing to keep some form of dignity in their entrance. Indeed, it was raining outside…Phoenix didn't recognize her at first…a hood hid her well. She was alone. Sitting down next to the piano was a brave thing of her to do, and Phoenix wondered if she was one part of deaf for it._

_You had to be, to sit next to him. He cast an eye over her quickly. Thin, delicate; and giving off the aura of an endangered flower, hanging by its last root on a cliffs edge. Hair that came to her shoulders, but no further, fanned out from that hood that covered her face, but Phoenix could make out the sharp shape of a pointer nose. He had the impression of large eyes, but with a squinted quality, as if you were blocking light that wasn't even there, or were extremely tired. _

_A simple bowl of Borsht and a glass of wine, that's what she received from the waitress when they came. The girl on duty cast a disgusted look my way, most likely in regards to my playing, but I paid her little mind. I was more interested in this figure who had sat near me. Potential customer perhaps…but she didn't look to be the type to play, regardless of the aura she gave off…_

_That was the thing…she gave off a kind of terrible aura. Like seeping evil, soaking into his very bones. Phoenix instinctively gulped. He had a feeling he knew this woman, and he didn't want that hood off, he'd eat his piano before he'd be willing._

_Phoenix ventured first, keeping his playing on the same note so he wouldn't attract any attention…but he wasn't sure if that was altogether wise either…she may simply be here for a meal…but no. She was looking his way…and knowing her; she knew who he was too._

"_Viola Cadaverini…"_

"_Mr. Wright. I was wondering if that was truly you. So, my information isn't as riddled as I thought it was…I'd offer you a seat, but you seem to be busy…I trust the cold treats you well…heh, I prefer a merry warmth from a fire place myself…"_

"…_I'm pretty sure I won't forget that anytime soon, there's no need to remind me of…your love for…that."_

"_Mr. Wright, you wound me. Regardless…I am in need of your services…"_

_A slight fear stirred in Phoenix's eyes, but he didn't let it get too far. He was no longer a lawyer, they could do nothing to him anymore, had no use really, unless they needed a poker player…the worst they could do was kill him…_

_No, that wasn't the worst they could do…damn, did he still have no choice after all?.!_

_+-~Mason~-+_

**Time: ? Date: May 19th, 2027, Place : ?**

The darkness was enveloping. The silence…was complete. Yet a pretense hung in the air, and it was answered when, of all things, a video game theme began to beat out its tune into the darkness. It was an old one, and it spoke of battle, or tension…sin. The darkness didn't change, and from it came a sudden gust of wind. What little light there was, focused on the reappearance of the cause. A slender and sharp blade…it swung again, and in front of it, something shattered into a dozen pieces, dropping red liquid along the ground.

A sigh exited from the space around the blade, the figure holding it, presumably. The ringing of a phone interrupted the person's flow as the blade rose again. A voice, crisp and cold, answered.

"Prosecutor Flora Ito-ten speaking... … …I don't know what to say to that…yes, I am aware of that fact…of course I watched the trial today…top notch, even after being dormant for seven years, the bear never does tire of its games between death and life after all, doesn't it? …You wish me to lead a case then…? Attorney? …Hehe…oh no, I'll take the job, Chief; don't worry about that…yes. Thank you Chief."

The phone closed with a snap, shutting off the dim light that illuminated the woman's face. She hefted her blade and stared at it with unseeing eyes.

_Three bags full, Chief. My blade shall be the tongue, and my opponent is all that lies…against me, the justice who is blind…_

Another fruit was tossed into the darkness, and Flora gave chase, slashing blindly into the air; splattering orange pulp everywhere with three consecutive straight hits.

…_nothing but truth will I be able to find._

**May 20th, 2027 – 5:56 AM, Wright & Z-Anything Co. (Attorneys At Law) (I still call it a working title!~Trucy)**

"Well, this certainly is more action than this office has seen in a long time. We've got two murder cases, and I'm scheduled to take on a malpractice suit not even two hours after today's second day of trial…not only that, but Trucy's got another call from the Wonder Bar, off the regular schedule to boot…remember to go there about two hours earlier than you usually do, Trucy. Maybe Apollo could go with you this time…"

"Uhm, Mr. Wright, don't you have to go to the Borsht Bowl tonight as well…?"

Phoenix raised his cup to his lips, looking for non-existent remaining drops of his coffee. He refrained from answering Apollo for the moment, making the younger man's face fall and his hair droop to follow as he waited, slightly exasperated. Phoenix swore, when his face looked like that, his pupil's all but disappeared.

Idly wondering if the boy went momentarily blind from this, he put his cup down and answered him.

"Yes, yes I do Apollo, but you should focus on your interview with your new client for today. They have a scheduled visit with you at 10:30 today, I'll be in court by then, so good luck with this one-"

"Aww, I wanted to go with Polly today. He's lost without me, Daddy…"

Offended, the younger attorney shot straight up in his seat. He wanted to fix Trucy with some kind of glare, but only ended up looking reproachful, and the look was lost on Phoenix, whom she had chosen as a "hiding" place, sticking her tongue at him.

It was so early in the morning, but she was in "play mode". Apollo's internal self… rolled his eyes. Sometimes he wondered if it was just Trucy or her age that made her switch modes like this on him…he himself could hardly see his coffee cup straight, and he had had the same amount of sleep she had…Mr. Wright had far less than either of them, _and_ he had been working late…yet he still managed to look better than him. Speaking of his mentor, he was talking.

"-don't need to worry about him. I'm trusting Apollo work well alone today, I think that if he can pass the bar exam, he should be able to handle an interview and preliminary investigation by himself Trucy…school's important…sort of."

Phoenix turned to the only silent member at the table now, ignoring his daughter and current apprentice to look at a sleepy, disgruntled face. Hestia didn't like being up so early in the morning, but when Phoenix had refused to stop calling this morning, he couldn't very well go back to sleep. First rule in being an attorney...you _have__** no**_ beauty sleep schedule. A call can come at any time.

Still, he was excited in some drowsy way. Sure, when he first met the guy, he hadn't realized, but he knew who this beanie-loving hoodie man was. To be taken under the wing of a legend…hey, that was a way to greatness!

Phoenix snapped Hestia from his train of thought by standing up and walking off to the kitchen to pick up his suitcase. Rushing to follow, Hestia almost tripped up on his two feet, and fixed Apollo with a glare when the attorney looked like he would laugh.

"…Oh come on, you can't take a joke…I guess not. Well, tell Mr. Wright I said good luck when you catch up with him…he's already out the door you know."

Wait…he was? No way!

**May 20th, 2027 – 10:05 AM, Courtroom B**

Whoa…this place was smaller than he imagined…but the judge wasn't. Admittedly, he wasn't a huge man, but his aura was what killed him for Hestia. People here seemed to bear down on him with eyes probing for hidden secrets, stripping all around bare and naked. He couldn't even seek refuge on his side of the courtroom, for Mr. Wright was just as intense. He was staring across the room, from podium to podium…and the other was empty.

Wasn't there supposed to be, you know, a prosecutor there? A sigh came from the judge, and his gavel came down, hard. Hestia would have lost his pants if it weren't for Phoenix standing there.

"The defense is ready I presume?"

"Yes your honor."

Sighing again, the judge looked to the prosecution's area.

"Excuse me for the outburst, but that's more than I can say for the second side of law. Where in the name of justice is Prosecutor Gavin? I might just have to make a motion to suspend for another day. This disturbs me…especially considering Prosecutor Gavin has an impeccable record…regardless! I have no choice but to suspend proceedings-"

"**Objection!" **

The court doors blasted open, sending a wave of air that Phoenix felt on his face, hypersensitive as it was. That…was not Gavin…he knew that voice. No. This just…wasn't possible. Slowly, Phoenix turned, watching a prim and proper man strut quickly to the Prosecution's side. By now, the defense had bug eyes.

Cravat, check…maroon, near salmon colored suit, check…hair that was surprisingly sporting a few distinguished lines of gray…check…piercing cold eyes…definitely…check. The man across for him was not Klavier Gavin…it was Miles Edgeworth…

Now this…this he didn't expect…oblivious, the judge looked right through Phoenix's rival with disapproval.

"Name and occupation, and purpose for standing there, that too I would like to know…where is Prosecutor Klavier Gavin?"

"Miles Edgeworth your honor. I am a prosecutor practicing abroad. Prosecutor Gavin had an urgent matter to attend too, and asked me to cover for him in his stead…my lateness is due to the short notice of which I received the call, and my need to gather the records from him beforehand…I apologize."

A sweep of the hand, a bow of his back, classic. He looked over Phoenix when he came back up, surprised by the fact that Hestia was next to him. He nodded to his old "friend". Phoenix allowed a single bead of perspiration to form near his hair, but hell would unto him if he let it fall. He had to remind himself again…he was no longer a greenhorn twenty-something year old.

"Mr.…Edgeworth; I hope that you realize being late for court is like being late for an airplane. Once it starts moving…well, you have a hard time getting on, don't you? I'll let this slide…this time. See you don't ruffle the feathers of this court again. Your opening statements if you will…Mr. Edgeworth? I would like you to summarize yesterday's proceedings as well, bring us to speed."

Edgeworth handled pressure form the judge better than he did, Phoenix noticed, but he expected that.

"Yes your honor. The court broke for the day on the account that order could not be re-established after a claim of scandal from the defense, and claims that the defendant is a victim of such. The prosecution, after review…cannot deny this possibility, but aims to show evidence proving the defendant's involvement in the death of Bruto Cadaverini."

"Is that all?"

"Yes your honor."

Phoenix answered as he should have, and he didn't bother trying to remember what happened afterwards in the regular drone of courtroom procedure. He only watched Edgeworth, and formulated what he knew about the cravat toting man. Edgeworth's face was a blank mask, but his eyes had a look in them.

"The Prosecution calls its first witness for today, Batista Itteris, to the stand."

"Another witness… I was under the impression that there was only one willing."

"I managed to convince a member of the family to testify after revealing the current situation to them; he claims to be one of those who came into the room before yesterday's witness."

Edgeworth kept his face blank while he said this, and so did Phoenix…barely. He managed to convince? In how short of a time again, with what resources… seems he was still behind after all. Still, Phoenix had learned to relax in these past years, and so he did so. Hestia was alarmed when his "mentor" suddenly changed from leaning against the podium to standing back, sticking his hand in his blazer pocket. He could swear the dude in the prosecution's corner raised an eyebrow too…

But hey, this was a legend right?

As he thought this, a dude who looked like he could eat him, Phoenix and Edgeworth in a single gulp walked down the aisle to the stand. Wait, since when were witnesses so big? How were you supposed to interrogate…that?.!

"Witness, name and profession…Name and profession…okay then; leave the stand then…no? Name and profession please, witness."

The judge took the heat from this guy again, but at least Edgeworth didn't have to bug the witness for a name again, this was normally his comedy routine…only against the judge and this witness…it was hardly funny. The judge looked like a small snack…it suddenly struck Hestia hard when he realized that the judge had lime-like hair. Where do these people get these dyes from?.! …Not to mention why a judge would dye his hair in the first place…unless it was somehow natural…then he'd have to wrack his brain wondering how in the _**hell **_did you get that gene in your genetics…or what freak accident you had to go through…by the time Hestia came back to the courtroom in mind, the witness had already testified. Shoot!

"Mr. Wright, your cross examination please, and please ."

"Yes your honor. Witness, if you will…"

"**Like I said, I was there. She screamed and we all came in-"**

"Hold it! You said you heard her scream?"

"Wright, I believe it's already been established that he said that. Are you telling me that after nearly a decade, that's the best that you can come up with-"

"Objection! You know as well as I that that hallway was empty save for a sleeping guard before my client entered the room! She doesn't remember screaming-"

"Objection! Wright, would you scre-…ahh, I see. So, your client claims she does not remember screaming?"

Phoenix suddenly didn't feel all too strong here. He saw Edgeworth's trademark finger tap against his head, and that smile grace his lips. He was no different. He hadn't changed. His mind began flying ahead, trying to see what Edgeworth was seeing, what he was implying.

"Tell me, Wright…would you, if you were her, scream upon seeing your suddenly very dead grandfather?"

"…Well, hypothetically speaking, I suppose…I would…but I'm sure I would remember doing so. Classically speaking, sound and sight are only stronger in memory when surprised."

"Surprised Wright? Simply surprised at the sight of a family member dead, I suppose you've seen enough dead bodies in your time, so it would be hard to imagine, but shock can be a powerful element in making someone forget they did something…"

"Of course. Still, Edgeworth…isn't this line of reasoning making my client look…innocent? If you're so shocked in seeing someone dead when walking in a room that you forget the fact you screamed, how can someone say they are guilty of murdering that same person?"

He almost floundered, but managed to compose himself and simply toss his hands in a shrug, shaking his head. Damn, he had almost managed to shake Edgeworth there…but no dice.

"Perhaps the defendant has other reasons for hiding the fact that she screamed, Wright. That isn't our concern however. She screamed, end of story. Witness, please continue."

"…**Damn, all of that because I say one word? Glad I'm not one of you. Anyway, we all rush in and see her standing there, next to the bed all still like, and there's this big a-well, there's a big gun in her hand-"**

"Hold it! There is evidence supporting that the gun was between the victim's legs at that time-"

"Objection! That theory has no base save for them being the words of the defendant herself! There is no proof that-"

"Objection! There was a bullet hole in the bed that has the proper trajectory to support this theory- "

"Objection."

Mile Edgeworth had a smile on his face again, suggesting he had come across something once more. He stabbed a vicious finger at his opponent, and then it began its famous waggle, dancing around in the air as he spoke.

"Consider this scenario Wright. You have a large gun in your hands. It is heavy. You want to shoot somebody, but at the same time leave evidence supporting suicide. What do you do? You get close and provide the proper angle. The gun is too heavy however, so when you shoot, it misses. Where does it go Wright? Imagine you are on the bed and have come close enough to shoot."

"W-wait a second! HOLD IT! Mr. Wright isn't the one in question here!"

Phoenix turned to look at Hestia, and so did the judge. Edgeworth simply continued to look at Phoenix, though he did have a small smile on his face.

"Mr. Wright, please cool your students head...and teach him some sense!"

"Hestia…it's hypothetical. Imagine yourself as Viola and put yourself in the scene."

"…Isn't that position a bit suggestive…?"

"We are talking about murder, and the scenario being set up is a granddaughter and grandfather. What is suggestive about it again?"

Phoenix looked at Edgeworth, and his mind began to rush again. Damn it…this was a very plausible excuse…but there had to be a flaw…ahh! That's right…it was what he was planning on picking on in this testimony.

"Your Honor, I request that I look to another part of the witness's original testimony, said earlier. If I may quote, he claimed something I found interesting about my client's position and the gun. He claimed she was still, and the gun was in her hands. I must ask, when my client was arrested, what was she wearing?"

"Objection! Your honor…what base does this have to the current line of reasoning?"

"Objection! It has a very strong base Edgeworth, for I am certain that when my client was arrested, she wore no gloves!"

"Gah! Witness! Y-you…"

"What happened Miles? Did you have a lapse in logic? If my client didn't have gloves on when she was apprehended, and there was no time to remove them…tell me why the gun has no fingerprints on it!"

Phoenix slammed both of his hands upon the podium, making his companion shrink away a bit. So much for him being a hotheaded shot in the dark.

"Your honor, I believe that this witness is committing perjury! If my client held the gun with gloves, she would have not been able to take them off before being arrested. If she didn't have them on, her fingerprints would be all over the murder weapon!"

"Witness…perjury in this case is a serious act…now tell me, is Mr. Wright correct?"

"**No. She had her hand on that thing; it was dangling in her right, pretty loose, red nails and all-"**

Phoenix continued his onslaught, bearing down upon this weak link. It only took one little detail, and everything else unraveled…

"OBJECTION! Your honor, this witness is lying again! The gun in question is far too large to be held "loose" in my client's hands! Not to mention the fact her nail polish isn't even red, and she has had no chance to change it since being detained-"

"Objection! Wright, how do you know she can't hold the gun loosely? She is part of a mob, the heir to their head title! Besides, what is a simple difference in color of nails? That can be chalked down to mistake-"

"Objection! Not this time Edgeworth! You see, you can't mistake her nail polish's color, because it's completely clear! Not only that, but I know for a fact that Miss Viola would not be able to handle this gun so lightly!"

A bit put off, but still nowhere near distress yet, Edgeworth shot back at Phoenix.

"Proof Wright, provide proof to the court that she cannot!"

Phoenix pulled from the court record in his hand a printout from yesterday's trial, and held it up to see if he had gotten the right sheet.

"Refer to evidence presented yesterday. The recording I played of our conversation in the detention center. She claimed that such a large gun was not their standard issue. It was "too big to work with under pressure." In other words, it was not effective as a weapon choice, and barely anyone used such a thing. Keep in mind too, the size of her hands, and the weight of the gun. Miss Viola is not a large woman Edgeworth, and is used to much smaller weapons, if any at all. Consider her trade. Money transactions, not muscle or deal cutting, simple loans…besides, this does not change the fact that her finger prints would have been on it!"

"**Hey, wait a minute! I remember a handkerchief now, I saw it fall, and it was white with blue on the edges-"**

"Objection! Your honor, I don't believe we can trust this witness! He claims there was a handkerchief, but if there was such a piece of evidence, it would have been found at the crime scene! Tell me Batista, where did you see this handkerchief drop?"

"**Uhh, well it was hard to see that, but it fell under the bed I think-"**

"**Objection!** Your honor, yesterday I paid a visit to the crime scene, as Detective Skye can vouch for me. I gave her evidence I found at the time to be processed by the police, most of which was situated right at this very bed. I scoured that area. If there was a handkerchief there, described as it was, it would have stuck out like a sore thumb against the red carpet and wood furniture. Witness…there is no such handkerchief!"

"**G-grrr…There was! I'm telling you there was!"**

"…Then include it in your testimony, and start over please. Let's hear what you've got to tell us…Your Honor, please!"

**May 20th, 2027 – 11:02, The Docks.**

"A murder, at the docks…man, when will people learn that Mafia movies are not a smart thing to follow when it comes to where you kill somebody…I mean come on, how many murder cases have I seen that had something to do with a dock?.!"

Apollo took a glance at the autopsy report in his hand, grimacing. The victim was…well, it was Daryan Crescend, who had been out on a short home arrest watch on account of good behavior. What was worse was the suspect. Klavier Gavin.

That's right, the police suspected him on account of him being the last guy to see him alive. So when Klavier had been hauled away he had called Apollo…right after Apollo had gotten off the phone with some guy who wanted to hire him for something else. Needless to say, Apollo played favorites here and told the other guy he couldn't defend him, as he had a personal case to deal with. This morning, he had shaken off Trucy to school and then beat it to the detention center to meet Gavin.

Best if his half-sister didn't know about whom he was defending, at least, not yet…the two had a long talk before Apollo realized there was nothing more he could get from Klavier, and he beat his way to the crime scene.

Now that he was here though, he was staring up at a detective he had never even seen before. He had expected Ema, but instead got a big burly guy with a goofy smile, some dancing eyebrows and a ratty coat. He called himself Gumshoe, and said that he had just come back to the force from a honeymoon and paternity leave… Apollo wondered which one it was, and if it was both well…dang, this guy wasted no time…either that, or he took a hell of a long time to take his honeymoon/get married.

Looking at that goofy innocent face though, Apollo would have to guess he took a long time to get a honeymoon.

"Listen pal, I know you're the attorney for this case, but I can't let you pass, Prosecutor's orders…"

"Oh come on! I need to do an examination of the crime scene at least. How can I defend if I have nothing to go on?.!"

"Sorry pal. Orders are orders, I just follow them. Prosecutor Ito-ten tells me no trespassers, so that means you too."

Man, now I see what Mr. Wright meant about prosecutors being dickheads when it came to the crime scene and evidence, and how I had it easy with Gavin…man, I always was able to do an investigation before! Gavin never stopped me!

"Well then tell him I punched you or something! I need to get…in-gah!"

Apollo jumped back from a flash of a blade, barely managing to save his hair horns from annihilation. A petite woman in a dark blue trench coat examined her weapon with a critical eye before nodding. Good reflexes on the hippo-mouth then. She tipped a matching hat to him before sweeping it off, showing that she had straight red-brown hair, disappearing somewhere underneath that coat of hers.

How did she manage to wear that in May again? It was open, sure…but still…

"Tell _**him**_ that you punched Gumshoe in the face? Ha, Gumshoe would sooner send you halfway to the bottom of the ocean with a single punch than let you get his face…and I'm a woman in case you happened to be blind. Shoe, where you seriously talking to this whelp? Save the small talk for your wife and simply knock him out! Your orders are meant to be followed."

Wait. This was Ito-ten? Apollo's face swam with shock, as he'd yet to see a female prosecutor before…little did he know that this woman would become his own personal kind of Franziska. The woman in front of him gave a little curtsey, spoiling the gesture into a mockery somehow, while still performing it with grace.

"Prosecutor Flora Ito-ten, at your service. I presume you are Apollo Justice then? Hmph. Rookie Ace attorney, under the tutelage of Phoenix Wright…you won't stop me from delivering justice. I know your methods, I have studied your technique. As long as your client remains guilty, justice shall be mine."

She said nothing else, simply walking off and telling Gumshoe to throw him out if need be. Apollo took that as his signal to leave, but he wasn't happy about it…he'd just be back later.

Flora Ito-ten huh?

**+-~E~-+**

_Ahh, well…I have no idea what to say about this one. I think I did a bit better character wise, and used a tiny bit more personality, but still the courtroom is pretty much a blank slate with people talking, and my descriptions aren't all that hot. I find it's quite hard for me to write court scenes. Mystery and puzzles in logic were never my strong point…ehh? What was I doing playing Phoenix Wright? Ha ha…well, what else but for improvement? If I'm weak somewhere, the only thing to do is make it stronger. Next time. Finalage._


	7. Builders of Force: Chapter VI

_This chapter is the result of floundering. I'm floundering, and a bit…uninspired. Yet, I won't let that stop me. No, I won't let it stop me. It's stopped me too many times already. ~Finalage_

**_+~-VA -~+_**

**_Chapter Six: Builders of Force_**

**_+~-PADR-~+_**

Phoenix turned the key slowly, stopping once he heard a tell-tale beep emanate from the beast he was in. It died down almost instantly, but he still stayed motionless for a second or two longer than an ordinary person would before committing fully to the turn and starting up a roar. He took a glance at the man beside him, who was holding a clipboard in his spidery fingers and looking at him with bored, if alert, eyes. Behind him, Trucy and Apollo sat. It didn't give him much confidence to see that Apollo was trying his best to act aloof, yet still managing to sweat up a storm. Trucy was much more calm and thoughtful, although that might be simply because she was idly wondering what he would crash into first.

Yep. This beast Phoenix was inside just happened to be a mini-van. The variation from an SUV might have never done anything to him personally, but right now, it was the source of all his anxiety. He thought back to his time in court today…if to do nothing else but to calm his nerves as he shifted into reverse…

_+~Mason~+_

_Like I said, I was there.  
>She screamed and we all rush in and see her standing there, next to the bed all still like, and…<br>There's this big a-well, there's a big gun in her hand.  
>She had her hand on that thing; it was dangling in her right, pretty loose, red nails and all.<br>I remember a handkerchief now, I saw it fall, and it was white with blue on the edges…  
>It fell under the bed I think.<em>

_...After Phoenix had managed to point out discrepancies with Batista, the man's testimony shattered like confetti in front of him. While it was impossible to determine if he was actually the killer, it wasn't improbable to suggest he had something to do with the murder, so Phoenix had done so. It led to a hail of Objections from both ends of the court…_

_Hmm…I think we already established that there was no handkerchief, but seeing as that's nothing new…and neither is the gun, I'm going to need some more information here. The contradictions are obvious…but still have no substantial proof…gah, I hate when this happens…I need him to make a solid slip up…even with the jury for review…it won't be good to just rely on them here…no room for doubt…I have to give them no room to doubt…that's it!_

"_Your Honor, I have a request."_

"_I'm listening Mr. Wright."_

"_I would like the witness to elaborate a bit more on…what he remembers about his surroundings at the time."_

"_The witness's surroundings, as in what he saw besides the people? Is this your chosen line of questioning?"_

"_Yes; your honor, but I also would like to know anything else he might have found…odd…in there…"_

_The judge turned to Batista, but the man once again simply stared at the judge. I mean, how many people actually would take a neon haired thin wraith like the judge seriously in a court of law? Despite his appearance however, his gavel was sufficient leverage, and if that didn't suffice, maybe his glare would. He had a hell of a glare, and eventually managed to convince the witness to turn around and testify because of it._

"_**My surroundings? I have no Idea what you're after.**_

_**There was nothing special about them. Red carpet, poster bed, nightstand with lamp…**_

_**There was a bookshelf with books in it too; I mean come on man…**_

_**Ain't you got a picture of the crime scene for that?**_

_**Anyway, there was nothing odd. I mean, maybe 'sides that there was a big ass hole in the bed."**_

"Hold it…you said there was nothing else? No unusual smells or sounds?"

"_**Man, why you had to remind me? The smell of dead, old man is not pretty. I smelt something burning too…tea leaves maybe?"**_

"Could you add that to your testimony? I feel like that's an important detail."

"Objection, Wright, what are you driving at? This only goes along with what your own client has already claimed! In your own evidence, she claimed smelling the exact same thing! This line of questioning is pointless!"

"Objection! Clarification! All avenues must be explored!"

"Oh, so you want clarification, don't you? Are you sure you're not just floundering about like you always do-"

"OBJECTION!"

Slamming his desk with enough force to make the wood bend in protest, Phoenix fixed Edgeworth with a glare. It did nothing to him however.

"Wright, I'd appreciate it if you refrain from abusing the courthouse furnishings…"

"Edgeworth…do you really think I've been floundering this whole time? Since when is "floundering" entail exposing lies in a testimony only helping me?"

Edgeworth said nothing, nor let loose and show of emotion, but Phoenix could almost hear the "ding" go off in Edgeworth's head.

"… … …"

"I suppose it's time I show you what I'm driving at… but I need your help in this too. You see, right now, as it is…we're stuck at an impasse, aren't we? You can't prove Viola's guilty, at the same time, none of us can clear up what actually happened…and the only thing I can do is cross examine…I think you know what I'm driving at, Edgeworth."

Again, light bulbs went off in the heads of the court.

"…You…want another witness. Of course; I see where this is going Wright…fine, I'll play your game. You've guessed correctly, I just so happen to have one."

Phoenix placed his hand on his "bench" as a lazy means of support. A lazy smile completed his image. Edgeworth had just smiled. This was just like old times…wasn't it? Two opponents; facing off in a ring with the fate of justice in their hands…and the fate of a couple lives. The result…the truth, whole and nothing but.

"…Knew you would."

A bang of the gavel interrupted the two. The judge didn't look to happy here.

"I certainly hope this next witness will do more than allow you two more pleasant trips down memory lane. This is a courtroom of law, not a catch-up session! Witness, you are permitted leave. Mr. Edgeworth, is your next witness ready?"

"Yes Your Honor…"

The courtroom wasn't finished with him yet…

_+~Mason~+_

_Screech…._

Phoenix hit the brakes a little hard, but not so much as to cause any damage. He just made Apollo jerk forwards and almost hit his face against the front seat, but that wasn't _Phoenix's_ fault…Apollo wasn't wearing a seatbelt. No one else was affected, but the instructor looked at him with a measured glance. That would hurt him. For once, the attorney sweats a bit, and it wasn't because it was hot in the car, even though it was. He made sure ease back up to speed past the light when it turned green again, and didn't let his mind wander anymore for the remainder of the trip…

**May 20****th****, 5:00 – Drivers Ed Lot (5-6 hour classes! Examinations, License Printing, DMV outlet.)**

Phoenix watched as another student hopped in the vehicle he had just left, feeling a little empty. He had sent Apollo home with Trucy; they both had work to do after all, and he didn't want to disappoint them if he received a failing grade from his instructor…he was supposed to wait now, and he didn't have the heart to go inside…but in the next second, he kind of wished he had.

"Ahh…Mr. Wright…?"

Phoenix turned slowly on the spot, and then stepped back quickly. Shoot! It was…well, it was the judge. Come to think of it, he didn't know his name.

"Ahh…Your Hon-No…Justice…"

"Please. Neither of us is in court at the moment, as is obvious. It is Alexander if you must. Alexander Lexicon. If you really must, Justice Lexicon…I see you attend this school as well. I suppose my embarrassment on the subject of a steering wheel is not so reasonable after all…I'm not the only one…we are of similar age."

He was a bit shorter than Phoenix, and up close, Phoenix could deduce that either his green hair was natural or that he used some pretty convincing dye. He hoped it was dye…for the sake of his sanity in the realm of biology. It was slightly spiked, but the spikes were jutting out in front and flat, just above the eyes. There was no gel that kept his hair that way. Those glaring eyes revealed themselves to be a very light shade of brown, almost making them look gold. He often touched the bridge of his crooked nose, as if he was used to pushing up a pair of glasses, but he had none there.

It was the way he dressed that drew the most attention though. Phoenix was reminded, very unpleasantly, of the Von Karmas, particularly, Manfred…he wore the same type of ruffled white shirt with fanning sleeve cuffs, though his black overcoat covered this save for a thin trim, his pants matched this design... In one of his pockets was a stuffed and slightly rumpled red cravat, and Phoenix knew that if it wasn't warm today, the man probably would have it on. At least he didn't own a whip like Franziska did…or a Taser…

Phoenix watched as the man folded his hands behind his back, bouncing slightly on the heels of his feet. The move reminded him of his own daughter in a way… unable to stay still, Trucy was. He had black gloves on, but they were fingerless. Uncomfortable, that's what described him, but he was trying hard to hide that fact.

"Well, I have an apprentice named Justice, so I hope you don't mind me calling you Mr. Lexicon…"

"Ahh…yes, I had forgotten, the recent upstart attorney, Mr. Justice, he's your understudy…he has a trial coming up, doesn't he? I…won't be overseeing that one…well, if you must… … …ah! You'll have to excuse me… … …I'm prone to long silences."

The Judge grimaced a bit after saying this, but made no other movement, save blinking. Phoenix offered something to fill the gap.

"…So, Mr. Lexicon, did you want to talk?"

"Ahh…? Oh, why, I did call you, did I not now…yes. I suppose I was simply behaving on impulse, calling to a face I knew…you'll have to excuse me there…I don't exactly know many people outside of the courtroom…my…ahh…"social life"…is rather lacking…ahh! …I do have a…favor… to ask of you however."

Taking a glance behind him to make sure that his driving educator hadn't reappeared magically, Phoenix looked to the Judge with mild interest. He had an overbearing way of speaking, didn't he? Kind of tiring…but still, it was a welcome distraction.

"I'm listening."

"…I'm a bit new to this state. I was a presiding Judge in New York for a while, but I moved here and entered this jurisdiction. As such, I need to submit a bit of work to verify my schooling, a bit of paperwork to see if I'm qualified for my position…It's a topic of Morals in Law, and the place of a jury in the court system…as you are the one who brought back the jurist system, I'd like your input on the matter…strictly for research purposes of course."

"…Sure."

_+~-Mason Record: Profile Notes-~+_

_Alexander Lexicon, Male, 36 Years of Age._

_An odd Judge who claims origin in New York, currently presiding over Cadaverini vs. the State...  
>Looks a lot younger than any other judge I've seen. Is that green hair natural… … …?<em>

_Current Status: Acquaintance, Alive._

_+~-Mason-~+_

_**May 20**__**th**__**, 8:00 PM – Detention Center **_

Apollo felt a bit put off at the moment. He was about to miss Trucy's show. No, it wasn't that he felt like something he hadn't seen before was going to happen, but he would get some grief when he went home that he had missed it after being expressly invited…home.

The word had slipped out, but…hey, yeah, Mr. Wright's haphazard apartment slash agency slash office slash "home" was his "home" too. His apartment was empty, he had moved most of his stuff before the cruise, and now he really was wondering what he was paying rent there for…more and more, he was finding his stuff in a mess with Trucy's, his vest and shirts hanging in the same closet her capes were, along with the smooth deep blue Mr. Wright now seemed to favor.

Who was his father? Not the men he knew as his Dads, no; his father? It was a killing question, but one that Apollo…didn't really care about. Hey, his childhood has been good enough, and he had found a lot of role models along the way…hey, one of them was even his boss now, so how's that for a twist?

A prison guard came his way, telling him that his client was out of questioning for today, meaning he was ready for interrogation in the cell block. Tossing his thoughts to the side, Apollo followed the guard to the block, and walked in his side of the "conference area" as Mr. Wright called it.

Klavier looked a little worse for wear…oh hell. He looked like a train had hit him, that and a bus. His hair was mussed, and a bit frayed at the edges, but nothing too noticeable there. It was his whole demeanor that gave him away. The "G" around his neck was instead clutched in his hand, its smooth silver contrasting his skin where his hand was busy crushing it, and that ever present smirk wasn't there anymore. Apollo couldn't see his eyes, and he was glad. The sagging shoulders told him enough.

"…I saw…mein bruder today…he…laughed at me as I walked by, in chains. He says…has always said…that we are the same…"

Grimacing, Apollo couldn't help it but blurt at that.

"Hold it! Ahh…I mean…well, you're not the same. He's guilty!"

"…and who's to say I am not? Daryan was my friend, a good friend…and he was convicted of smuggling and murder…ja; can you say I'm not guilty for that?"

"Again, he was guilty! You however, are not, and no, that kind of guilty doesn't count!"

Klavier allowed his shoulder to shake with dry humor; in fact, it was so dry he was surprised his shoulders didn't crumble to dust from the movement.

"Herr Forehead…do you know Detectiv Skye came to visit me earlier?"

"Oh, she did? How was that?"

"Terrible. She tried to rile me, as I do her whenever we meet, but we both ended up looking the opposite way, at the floor."

"Ohh…well hey! Tomorrow I'll go in there and fight for your sake, and it will be alright…as long as your innocent, the truth will come out, or my name isn't Justice!"

Again; the dry humor shook him. What was it with this world and its incessant puns? Klavier looked at his "rival", the hot blooded defense attorney under Phoenix Wright. He was a good man, but he didn't understand the strings being pulled behind the sidelines…

"You know, Herr Forehead…Herr Wright also did something similar to what you are doing now…"

Drawn from his mental tirade, Apollo could only give a blank response.

"Huh?"

"During his time as an attorney, he had to defend his own rival in court. The "demon prosecutor" Miles Edgeworth, a man whose first true loss was to your mentor, they raged against each other in fierce courtroom battles that lit the stands on fire with passion…but when one was accused of murder, he lost his flame. Herr Wright fought against a man who had not lost in forty years, the god of prosecutors and mentor to his rival Edgeworth, Manfred Von Karma, tooth and nail, battling the giant of a man at every turn, and then some…

"It was rumored that Manfred produced scored of fake evidence, and wiped the real evidence from the scene countless times. It was also said that he even threatened bodily harm on Herr Wright, and even exacted punishment on his assistant with a Taser…yet Wright fought on. Fought until the very last minute, till the very end of the insane maze he had been drawn to go through, and won. He overturned Manfred, and named him the mastermind behind a scheme that spanned a decade and a half. Murder, spite, framing and more murder, the evidence crushed the man cold…

"Wright had won. It was one of the main reasons your mentor is a legend, Herr Forehead. He crushed his opposition with the truth, no matter how many tricks were thrown at him. It was why I was so…proud of myself, when I found out he had presented false evidence all those years ago Wright…it meant to me that my side of the law was not so flawed after all. It meant that this man was a fraud, and that I could crush him without mercy nor grace…

"It meant he was but a crooked man."

Well, Apollo had wanted Klavier to talk. He was talking. Not what he had hoped about, but still, all the same, it was good to get out the guilt too. Was he still on this, even now? Hadn't Mr. Wright told him it was okay? That he didn't care, that it wasn't his fault…or was this the fault of his brother again?

"Klavier…Mr. Wright already told you that he's okay with all of that-"

"Herr Wright…I am not finished yet. The point…to all of this…is to tell you that I believe a similar thing is happening now. I…need you to run. Desist from my case, posthaste. Herr Wright was, is…an extraordinary man, one who is well versed in fighting against the odds…"

"…and I'm not?"

Apollo slammed both of his fists on the desk in front of him, angry now. Was Klavier saying that he couldn't take care of himself?.! The look he received made him do a double take.

"No. What I am saying is that there are forces here that you have yet to fight, Herr Forehead. Forces that no attorney in their right mind would go up against, save for your mentor, and many consider him far from his "Wright" mind in any case. You never have gone against a prosecutor that will actively try to prevent you from investigating, and you have never gone up against the police to butt heads…nor have you faced the chiefs of either department…"

Again; angry…Apollo didn't like this line of reasoning…it was making him out to be a baby.

"So, I'm not ready for this. That's what you're saying? Klavier, I took this case because I believe in you, and because I know you're innocent. So I'll see it through. It doesn't matter who gets in my way."

Looking off to the side, Klavier could only allow himself his inner monologue. So much for trying to save him…Apollo was too hot blooded. His last trial, and this murder…there was something going on here, something…rotten.

**+~-Mason System Summary-~+**

+-~Phoenix's Court Record~-+

Attorney's Badge – My old badge, returned to me in "pristine" condition, Maggey's teeth marks and all.  
><span>Autopsy Report<span> – Victim died of a gunshot wound to the forehead. Death was instantaneous. (Details.)*  
><span>Crime Scene Photo 1<span> – Shows the victim in bed with his legs positioned as if to do sit ups. (Details.)*  
><span>"Murder" Weapon<span> – Large weapon that throws slug shots. Can't be the murder weapon. Fired twice.  
><span>Bullet<span> – Removed from the victim. Too large to be the bullet that took the victim's life.  
><span>Viola's Testimony<span> – Taken before the trial with consent. (Details.)*  
><span>Bone Eye's Testimony<span> – I rushed in after hearing a shot and saw people already there.  
><span>Crime Scene Photo 2<span> – Shows the devastation caused by a large bullet on the bed, powder burn present.  
><span>Tea Cup<span> – Was full of a substance that reacts to luminol. Now holds soggy tea leaves.  
><span>Documents <span>– Information on a deed and some proposed deals. (Details.)*  
><span>Light Gun<span> – Shows signs of being fired once recently. Could this be my murder weapon?  
><span>Cash <span>– Yes, this is evidence. No touching. About $ 10,000 in five hundred bills. Wow. Reacts to luminol.  
><span>Ring Box<span> – Reacts to luminol. I haven't opened it yet.  
><span>Key<span> – Also reacts to luminol. I wonder what it's for?  
><span>Crime Scene Photo 3?<span> – Shows the bookcase and a few paintings on the wall. Snapped by mistake.  
><span>Judge's Thesis<span> – Pretty extensive. A copy of theory / thoughts by Alexander Lexicon on Juries. Pg. cnt.-78

+-~Apollo's Court Record~-+

Attorney's Badge – There are two in the office now... Mine's shiner!  
><span>Klavier Gavin's Testimony –<span> An account by Klavier detailing his alibi. Check for Details.  
><span>Picture<span> – Shows Trucy and I on the docks…wait, what is she doing with my hair?.!  
><span>Autopsy Report<span> – Victim died of a stab wound to the kidney. May have lived for a few minutes after.  
><span>Bar Exam Study Notes<span>– Found in the office. The practicum is for prosecutors. What is it doing here?

+-~Profiles~-+

Apollo Justice: Age: 23, Male. Rookie Ace Attorney, understudy to Phoenix Wright. Trucy's half-brother.  
><span>Trucy Wright<span>: Age: 15, Female. Legal owner of the Gramarye Troupe. "Daughter" of Phoenix Wright.  
><span>Hestia Hoshed<span>: Age: 22, Male. Hothead "understudy" to Phoenix Wright. No license to practice law yet.  
><span>Viola Cadaverini<span>: Age 33, Female. Heir to "The Mob" and Owner of Tender Lender. Suspected of Murder.  
><span>Miles Edgeworth<span>: Age 34, Male. Named the "Demon Prosecutor", Phoenix Wright's childhood friend.  
><span>Ema Skye<span>: Age 26, Female. Unhappy detect. with a thing for pelting snacks. Friend of Phoenix Wright.  
><span>Alexander Lexicon<span>: Age 36, Male. A Judge from New York; now presides in California. Has an odd accent.  
><span>Phoenix Wright<span>: Age 34, Male. "Reborn" Ace Att. Doting dad/pianist, old friend of Miles Edgeworth.  
><span>Bruto Cadaverini<span>: Deceased, Male. Former boss of "The Mob", or "The Family". Victim in Viola vs. State.  
><span>Daryan Crescend<span>: Deceased, Male. Former convict of smuggling, former band member to The Gavinners.

**+-~E~-+**

_BORING! May Twentieth, May Twentieth, May-*shot* that's how I feel with this rag. This was supposed to be longer and move faster, but honestly…I ran out of ideas for this day. I feel like I'm stalling way too much. I added the court record and the Profiles at the end of this chapter. Why you ask…? I was getting really confused, to be honest. I was kind of realizing I was forgetting pieces of evidence I had specifically planned things for…so this is born. I believe I'll be doing that every chapter._

_Short chapter and even shorter things it is saying. I'm boring I know…I'll need to make it up with some fiery court scenes or something similar next time…bah. ~Finalage._


	8. Daddy Friend: Chapter VII

_This is completely different from what I planned…but I think I might like it._

_Oh, by the way, the long delay. Sorry about that, but I felt like my head was repeatedly exploding everyday on a five minute cycle ever since submitting last. That, and work picked up. I wish I could earn money by writing, or making games…I'd have it made…if I could come up with a remotely good story that is._

_Oh bah! You may notice my constant beating up of oneself. That's my style, please take it in stride._

_I own nothing here._

_People's be outtsa character herz, bewarzs. –Chapter may be confusing too._

_Sorry about that._

**_+~-VA -~+_**

**_Chapter Seven: The Daddy Friend_**

**_+~-PADR-~+_**

Over the years, a small list of people had been formulated, and, from this list, Phoenix could draw a line.

Old friends.  
>New Friends.<p>

Once, years ago, when Edgeworth had made his brief visit, Trucy had asked him about them. What she came up with became known as: "The Daddy Friend List". That list still existed, on a sheet of yellowing oak paper.

It was one of those bittersweet things with enough sugar to rot your teeth, and enough bitter to make those same teeth fly from your mouth with the force of the gagging.

There had been a habit of Trucy's once. She wanted to check everybody off on the "Old Friends" piece. She had started with Edgeworth…

…and to this day, Edgeworth was still the only name.

It was nearly forgotten, that list…but still, during lunch, when Trucy felt the phone in her topit, it came to mind when she saw the name. It was her father's old phone she was borrowing…

**Incoming Call …v… Maya**

**Answer.  
>Ignore.<strong>

Pictures…a girl in purple with beads dangling from the ends of her hair, perpetually smiling, almost always followed by her father with some form of exasperation in his face. Exasperation…but a happy, peaceful kind. The kind Apollo looks at her with… the: "…are you kidding me…?.! Wait… No…no! Don't drag me _there_…*Sigh*…Wait up will you?.!" look. The two were occasionally followed by a smaller girl with a pretzel like hairdo and similar clothes to the older girl.

Those were the days when a badge almost always winked from his blazer.

**Answer?**

**-Yes. -Cancel.**

Kinda pointless, the double confirmation. Trucy put the phone to her ear, without hesitation. Hey, her father had a badge now again, right? …Still, for somereason, what she wanted to come out of her mouth…didn't.

"Hello! LAWINS here, how can I help you?"

"Ni-oh…sorry-Isn't this Phoenix Wright's number?"

Pictures. Lists. She remembered her father saying something like this once…

"_Ha ha…now you're mad at me for looking at women Trucy? Fine. I won't I promise. You'll have to keep me in line though. I'm getting to that age when the crotchety old man in me makes me look at girls."_

"_Crotchety?"_

"…_Means I'm old and grumpy; and that I can't forget about the old days…"_

"…_I'm sorry Daddy."_

"_Ahh! No, don't be guilty Trucy; it's got nothing to do with you. Hey, look! There's the ice cream guy. Should we go get some ice cream?"_

"Y-Yeah. It is. He let me borrow his phone for today. Can I take a message?"

Over the line, Trucy could hear confusion dripping. Since when did Phoenix hand over his phone for borrowing to young girls? Unless…

"…LAWINS?"

**May 21st, Courtroom B, 12:00 – Noon**

"**OBJECTION!"**

"Mr. Wright, your voice!"

"I'm sorry your honor, but that statement was utterly wrong, in the basest of senses! I need that added to the testimony your honor!"

The judge stepped back a bit. If there were another few things unique about this judge, it was that he chose to stand the whole time. Just like the attorneys, and two…he preferred a regal Von-Karma style dress…over his judge's formal robe. It was allowed in this state after all.

"Mr. Wright, you are practically foaming at the mouth…but I cannot deny that the statement did indeed sound strange…witness, please add that statement to your testimony…"

All eyes turned to the woman on the stand, slender hands wrung each other as she fixed her eyes on Phoenix. Betrayal was etched on her face, but Phoenix's smile, his sheer burning eyes; they canceled her venom out.

Viola Cadaverini took a breath before smiling again, in control.

"If I refuse, your honor?"

This time, it was Phoenix again who jumped at her, and it was kind of hard to tell, just whose side he was on.

"…and get held in contempt of court? I don't think so Viola! The court needs an explanation! It makes no sense! None at all, your involvement in this case has to be greater than simply walking in and seeing the man dead in front of you! I know you didn't do this, but don't think I'm dumb here!"

He slammed his bench for emphasis.

"I'm trying to save your arse here!"

"Mr. Wright!"

"I said arse your honor! There is nothing to reprimand!"

"Objection! The defense…he clearly needs to get control over himself!"

Aiming his eyes at Edgeworth, Phoenix butt heads on that ground too.

"Edgeworth, you'd stop me when I'm so close to the truth?"

"No Wright, I'm stopping you from jumping down the witness's throat!"

Again; Wright slammed that bench.

"She needs something to jump down that throat, and it might as well be me! Viola!"

Edgeworth seemed to take a low blow to that one. Didn't Wright just realize what he had said? He would be the one to jump down her throat…? Raise an objection; don't think about it too much! Raise it!

"Objection! Your honor, the defense is clearly badgering the witness!"

Blood pumping, hands tingling…head pounding…and here he thought he was healthy. The courtroom was worse than running a marathon…Phoenix felt it…for the first time in a long time…that old melody of truth, playing in his head…closer; louder…it was a song he hadn't been allowed to sing for nearly a decade…

Viola was holding in her laughter, and shaking because of it. Here was her attorney, he had fought so hard, and now, finally, he was willing to risk it all. She had threatened him…his house, his daughter…but still. He doggedly looked on for the truth.

Did he really know no bounds?

"Your honor, my question remains."

"You would be held in contempt of court Miss Cadaverini, and I need not explain the repercussions of that to you…do I? Add that statement to your testimony, please."

"I've said it before, I walked in and there was a scent of fresh tea leaves in the air-"

"OBJECTION!"

Aghast, the judge looked to Phoenix again. The man could not keep quiet, could he…?

"Mr. Wright…please. If you needlessly object…what…is that?"

Phoenix had pulled out a bag, and inside, it, a teacup, a teacup highly reactant to luminol.

"Five minutes…is a wrong assumption of time." People were already there… This murder…did not take place on the bed, and this cup proves this…this, and the fact that you were in that room for a long time…"

Edgeworth seemed to have been stabbed, the way he jerked back, and his expression. The judge though…he just stared…really hard, at that teacup…and then sighed .The facts of the case and that cup...didn't add up. Maybe he was getting old.

"Mr. Wright…I fail to see how you arrived at this conclusion from one small teacup."

For once, Phoenix relaxed, and looked a little surprised.

"Really? I'm surprised, your honor. Allow me to explain…consider the crime scene photo, there is one big thing missing from it that has made me wonder when to bring it up, or why no-one else noticed it. Do you see the photo's odd spot your honor?"

Looking at the crime scene photo, after so many times, Alexander had to shake his head. There was nothing so odd in this picture anymore…

"Mr. Wright. It would be faster if you point it out to me. I've been desensitized to this photo by now…to be perfectly honest."

"That is exactly the thing your honor…the problem with this photo is that it's too stale. Too dry…_clean_."

Edgeworth seemed to get a light bulb in his head, and he stood up straighter. Alexander thought he had it…if it was too clean…what was too clean about this photo?

"Wright…may I see that photo?"

"Sure Edgeworth."

Too clean…something too clean. Wait!

"Ack! The blood!"

"It's an oversight that really kills us all, doesn't it? It makes sense in context. This is no ordinary case. This is a mafia deal going down. There is a struggle being employed here…but the facts remain. There is far too little blood here on the scene for this to be the murder scene…which means the body was moved, which in turn, makes my theory of a second gun and a transplant of bullets all the more solid. This operation was headed by many hands…but this teacup, now that's a different story…you see, it's hard to make out in this photo, but this was taken right after luminol was applied…it's a trace that faded too quickly to appear in later photos…it's a faint trace of lips…"

Edgeworth looked up at this. There clearly was no time for tea…and his face plainly showed this contradiction that Phoenix was toting…but Phoenix continued before Miles had a chance to object.

"Now…it was killing me this entire time. Those prints are fresh, and faint. A light brush. It didn't make sense. A cup of tea, soggy, under someone's bed in a compartment. I said. "Soggy". Another witness mentioned smelling soggy leaves too, and another, burned…no-one said anything about fresh ones…except you, Viola…except you. Your Grandfather called you at eight, correct…and you left around nine, correct, arriving at maybe nine thirty?"

"Yes."

"Is that testimony?"

For once, she grit her teeth. What was he getting at?

"It took about thirty minutes to get there, that was the conventional way."

"I repeat my question, for this statement now."

For some insane reason, she found this funny now, and affirmed for him behind a closed hand.

"Then I formally object your honor."

Scrunching up an eye at that, Justice Alexander still had no idea where the hell this was going, but might as well let Mr. Wright ride his wave until the end. Phoenix had a city map in his hands now…and from whence he pulled it, the justice had no idea, maybe from his hat for all he knew.

"Conventional way. Did you take the conventional way, Miss Cadaverini?"

_Shit. That's what he was getting at!_

"The answer is no. That is simple enough to understand, and the rest of this crime scene unravels along with that one little detail. You see. It takes thirty minutes this way…but would a high class mob really keep their agents so far away, especially in an emergency? There's a reason why they usually arrive and depart before the police…and this is it."

Phoenix drew an odd line in the diagram, and finally it dawned upon the judge.

"…An alternate, emergency route. Looking at that, it would take half the time as the ordinary way would…"

"Less than that your honor. It takes about eight to twelve minutes…driving at normal speeds that is."

"…So Miss Viola was speeding?"

"Objection! Wright, what is the relevance of this?"

Phoenix looked over to his "opponent".

"Give me a bit Edgeworth; I'll make it worth your time, now, as I was saying…She must have been. You see, she arrived at the house not because of any simple business dinner, didn't you, Viola…?"

Smart…so intelligent. How…

She had been speeding that night…and on that road too…

Her reasons were real.

…Yet she couldn't tell the court the truth…

When she received that call…

He already feared for his life.

She kept silent…but Wright continued on in that unstoppable train, sweeping up every little fact in his giant vacuum, no secret could hide from him…none.

"When you got that call, Viola…what state was your grandfather in? …and tell me, please…what happened to the book?"

Eyes wide. So…he saw it…he noticed what no one else noticed. She quickly tried to regain control, but only managed to look away and hide behind some hair.

"I propose the true murder scene; and what happened that night…and what my client is truly guilty of…"

He turned away from her, and it was…all over. She looked at his back, but was surprised to see his face instead.

"Viola Cadaverini is guilty…of perjury. That night, her grandfather called her, approximately at eight, but a bit earlier. He did not want to discuss business with her, no. He feared for his life. He asked her to come…as soon as possible, just as Viola claimed. So she took the fast route, and sped a bit too…I think she sped enough to forget something…these deals."

He held up the deals he had found under the bed.

"These aren't old deals…they are new. In fact, they are new enough to have needed to be notarized. There is a notary's office near this shortcut, and he called that night to report a speeding vehicle…he was part of neighborhood watch. The police…were trying to catch a criminal on an unrelated case that night, right? The speeding vehicle wasn't Viola's; hers passed behind the man's house. Two speeding drivers. One alerted the man with sound the other, his eyes…it's far-fetched and slim, but it's the only possible explanation I have, but without it, I still can work…"

He held up the teacup and the book now.

"Viola. I have two scenes in my head, and only one is right. You witnessed the murder either way. One is where you were powerless to stop it as you were in the room…the other is that you saw the murderer leave, and protect them for a good reason…"

_Too…smart._

"I propose both scenarios. You saw someone you wish to protect leave, as the true murderer. You…committed perjury again…and ordered several members of the mob to lie for you too. It makes sense in a way. The way they were so easily giving you up, the way they so eagerly sought to make you out as the murderer…you, they could get out of jail easy…and here I was thinking that they were under another employ, trying to take you power from you…no, the rot only extends as deep as one small group…you were in control…all along…"

"You witnessed a murder right after having a final conversation with your relative…but not without getting a final shot in…gun powder on the book, Viola. You fired at the one who killed your grandfather, didn't you…that's why this gun has been fired recently. It's slim and light, this gun…it suits you...you didn't miss either. There was no bullet on the scene, but the smell was still fresh when Bone-eye came in…"

"Viola…this person you are trying to protect…are they really worth a death penalty? You do realize that you may not be able to get bailed in time…"

That was it. She couldn't let him…continue like this.

"Mr. Wright."

Phoenix turned to her. Her voice was oddly calm, and he began to get a sinking feeling…but then he saw her face. No, he was spot on…but…

"You are fired. Effective right here, right now."

She expected him to fall there, expected him to sweat, at least do something…but he did nothing…save blink. Then he shrugged before continuing matter of fact-ly.

"Wouldn't be the first time. Do you know what happened to the last person who tried to fire me in the middle of court, Viola? I found out the truth was far more complicated than they thought. I still went on. I didn't let the truth slip by then…even if it meant my own client was guilty…and I won't let it slip by now. Your honor…this woman is unable to defend herself in court. I ask to be kept on board…by the state if not under her employ."

It was her turn instead, to jerk back. State employment…?.! He…he had a trump card! She couldn't disprove his claim without a long battle of wits against him…and being state appointed meant she would have zero power…plus the fact that the judge had no reason to deny him…

She had no choice.

"Very well-"

"No…I'll…I'll tell you…everything you need to know."

_Hello everybody. My name is Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney… finding the truth since 2016…and I've still got it!_

**May 21st, 1:30 PM - Courtroom Lobby**

If there was one thing that Phoenix may never figure out…it was where the hell the court managed to get all its confetti from, and who started the tradition of throwing it in court on the winner. He didn't really have time to think about that now though. Viola was approaching him, and in her hand was…an envelope.

Her eyes were on him, and there was no one else behind him soo…what was the envelope about? She placed it in his hand with the air of indifference before looking at his dumbstruck face. He was looking at the envelope, then her, then back at the envelope.

…What was this for again?

"…Umm, well…do you mind telling me what this is?"

"Your payment. I think eight hundred suffices, don't you agree?"

"Eight hundred dollars? Uhh…well, it's more than I usually get!"

Viola looked at him oddly before deciding to go crack up behind her hand again. The hell was he saying? More than he usually gets? Eight hundred dollars was a paltry amount… A man was coming up to them as she did so, and Phoenix turned around to see some drooping horns. Looks like Apollo had waited for him…either that or he had just gotten out himself…

"So, Viola…about the ring and the money under the bed…"

Didn't he ever give up? Or did he have to pinch for every detail?

"…deal money and a…present from my Grandfather…it's not a ring Mr. Wright…it's a locket."

Phoenix might have pressed for more details, but Apollo came up behind him.

"Man…I barely made it out of that one…that woman is a DEMON!.! How did your trial go Mr. Wright?"

Phoenix seemed happy to relate the fact he had just gotten eight hundred bucks, something that made Apollo raise an eyebrow. Eight hundred for a whole case? Of that magnitude? Was he mad?.! Still, his client was laughing up a storm, and she seemed barely able to keep herself quiet. Finally, she decided to end his tirade before he had a heart attack later on.

"Mister Wright…you misunderstand me."

Phoenix turned to look at Viola, and he didn't like the laughter in her eyes.

"What…oh, don't tell me I have to pay it back or something?.!"

"No Mister Wright…you didn't borrow from me…no…the amount is wrong. I didn't give you eight hundred _dollars_ Mister Wright. I gave you eight hundred _grand_."

"Right that's…what…I sai…what…W-w-WHAT?.!"

"Huh…Wait, WHAT? EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND?.!"

Apollo took a double take before jumping back, but his voice fell on deaf ears. Phoenix had his eyes and his mouth somewhere on the floor…but he didn't bother picking them up. Stuttering like he had just been struck dumb, he staggered a bit before grabbing the first thing he had within reach to prevent from falling…which was air.

With a single "meep", Phoenix, bugged eyes and all, passed out cold.

Alexander, who decided to walk in a moment later, surveyed the scene with some humor before hefting the tome in his hands. He tapped the bridge of his nose thoughtfully.

"I see now how Mister Wright keeps his suits in wearing condition. He sleeps in them of course. Better move him boy…don't want anybody stepping on the poor man…hmm… or perhaps it is a delayed effect of defending a fine woman? I never knew the terminology for drop dead diva was so serious…"

Laughing humorlessly, the Judge walked past Apollo without a second thought, only paying enough mind to step over Phoenix and look down at his fallen form.

"Good show Mr. Wright…good show."

**May 21st, 2:48 PM - LAWINS (Don't ask us. It sounds good. (Law And Wright's Incorporated Nexus Services.))**

**(Hah Apollo, see? I told you that leaving the title to daddy and me would work!)**

**(Hey, how was I supposed to come up with that? You told me something with Wright and Law and other things…not that!)**

**(But that IS what's here!)**

**(Oh…wait…shoot. Is this seriously all on our door sign?)**

**(*Gurk* Why did I write that too?.!)**

**(…and that…)**

**(Silly Polly. Tricks are for*erased*)**

**(Don't you dare Trucy. Terrible pun is terrible.)**

**(…and horned Polly is *erased*)**

**(Stop writing stupid puns on the sign!.!)**

**(Ha ha! It's in pen now!)**

**(Damn you!)**

"House…house…freaking house…whoa, Grossberg's retiring and is renting out his office really cheap…damn."

"You don't need to buy a house now, Mr. Wright."

Phoenix looked up from the classifieds and real estate to see Apollo's face. He shook his beanie clad head firmly.

"Apollo, you need an office to yourself, so do I…and Trucy too; for that matter. I need a guest room, for you if no-one else, and Trucy obviously needs room for her props…my books on law have been sitting in cardboard boxes for ages…and for once, I know how to play the piano…but there's barely any room to appreciate it. I'm way over-due, and before I change my mind, I want to use this money to buy a house in full…then I can save the rest. Nowhere far of course, Trucy's got friends I don't want to upset…that's another thing…she can never invite friends over Apollo…don't you think that makes me feel a tad bit guilty?"

Apollo just looked at the big picture of a house that was staring at him from the paper. Space…a house. Hell, what else was Mr. Wright going to spend that eight hundred thousand on but a house?

"Hey, what about this one…nah, too big."

"T-too big? Mr. Wright, how big is it?"

"It's five bedrooms and four baths, but that's not what I'm looking at. The thing is over 4,300 square feet Apollo…and they call it a single family house. It's 415,000, everything considered, but forget it. Look at the picture for it…"

That…was…kinda big, yeah. Not the biggest thing Apollo had seen, no, but still…pretty huge, and for Mr. Wright, who had been eat-living out of boxes for eight or so years with a side of crowded apartments, yeah…it was positively massive.

"Well, maybe you could get used to it?"

"Apollo…I'd get lost in my own home. Not to mention how hard it would be to clean the thing."

Apollo put on the face he was wearing for most of today's court session, which was his famous; "What the heck…Gah!"

_Here I was thinking that his sense of direction sucked…turns out he was just lazy._

**+~-1-~+**

_You don't need to buy a new house…_

_H_ome is right here...

Isn't that right…Daddy?

Well, baring the pun, that's what she said…in a nutshell. Honestly, I never thought Mister Wright would have gone through with moving anyway, and even if he did, he'd have kept the old "house" as his office again…however, in the end, Mr. Wright called up some guy he called Grossberg, and talked to him for an hour before getting up and grabbing his coat.

The next day he told me to start boxing up my office stuff. Office stuff only. He had bought it. For four fifty thousand, he owned the premises of the former: "Grossberg Law Offices.", which meant there was no renovation required…well, maybe a bit for himself.

What that mainly meant was that a whole ton of fancy furniture wound up in Apollo's office, which a smattering in the reception and Trucy's office, and a sparse tinge in Mr. Wrights. Apollo found out fast that the Wrights didn't like fancy stuff, and what didn't really fit was set to be sold before any protest could be made. They were cluttered as is.

Of course, this meant that Apollo had to balance between his case with Klavier and this…or so he thought.

On the second day of trial, the case was dropped. Someone else had stepped forward and admitted to the crime…supposedly. Apollo couldn't really get the details…no matter how hard he tried. It was fishy, as Mr. Wright claimed, but Apollo let it slide. Hey, Klavier was innocent, right?

Still, something else waited around the corner, and it began with a phone call. One Mr. Wright in particular didn't like…and from that one event, a whole bunch of others, like siege, tried to destroy him.

There's a list that Trucy pulled out that first day…she called it "The Daddy Friend List." Stupid title…I called it the "Final Countdown." …with good reason.

The first names on that countdown…

…was a woman named Maya, and a girl named Pearl…

**+~-MASON-~+**

Flora Ito-Ten

Age: 24 Years.

Sex: Female.

A fencing enthusiast; one who carries her rapier on her person almost religiously…she claims to have been a prosecutor since she turned sixteen. Eerily reminds Phoenix Wright of Franziska Von Karma. Typically wears a blue trench coat and high boots, but has a soft spot for jeans. She is hardly ever seen without a large white bow in her red hair. Apollo Justice refers to her as a demon. He never admits it, but he feels that if his case with her had continued, he would have lost.

+-~Phoenix's Court Record~-+

Attorney's Badge – My old badge, returned to me in "pristine" condition, Maggey's teeth marks and all.  
><span>Judge's Thesis<span> – Pretty extensive. A copy of theory / thoughts by Alexander Lexicon on Juries. Pg. cnt.-78

+-~Apollo's Court Record~-+

Attorney's Badge – There are two in the office now... Mine's shiner!  
><span>Picture<span> – Shows Trucy and I on the docks…wait, what is she doing with my hair?.!  
><span>Bar Exam Study Notes<span>– Found in the office. The practicum is for prosecutors. What is it doing here?

+-~Profiles~-+

Apollo Justice: Age: 23, Male. Rookie Ace Attorney, understudy to Phoenix Wright. Trucy's half-brother.  
><span>Trucy Wright<span>: Age: 15, Female. Legal owner of the Gramarye Troupe. "Daughter" of Phoenix Wright.  
><span>Hestia Hoshed<span>: Age: 22, Male. Hothead "understudy" to Phoenix Wright. No license to practice law yet.  
><span>Viola Cadaverini<span>: Age 33, Female. Heir to "The Mob" and Owner of Tender Lender. Suspected of Murder.  
><span>Miles Edgeworth<span>: Age 34, Male. Named the "Demon Prosecutor", Phoenix Wright's childhood friend.  
><span>Ema Skye<span>: Age 26, Female. Unhappy detect. with a thing for pelting snacks. Friend of Phoenix Wright.  
><span>Alexander Lexicon<span>: Age 36, Male. A Judge from New York; now presides in California. Has an odd accent.  
><span>Phoenix Wright<span>: Age 34, Male. "Reborn" Ace Att. Doting dad/pianist, old friend of Miles Edgeworth.  
><span>Flora Ito-ten:<span> Age 24, Female. Russian immigrant who says she has been a prosecutor since she was 16.  
><span>Klavier Gavin:<span> Age: 25, Male. German former rock star for The Gavinners" and a practicing prosecutor.

**+-~E~-+**

I rushed through both trials like a fool, or, as Phoenix put it, an arse. This chapter is a rush chapter, no denying it. I was rushing like hell and low on…everything a good writer needs, including sleep and time/ inspiration…but most of what I got seems to have massed ahead of this point. It's a bad sign…but one I'll have to take in stride…but the whole structure of this thing is a mess, I believe. Almost six thosand words...of idiocy.


	9. Games: Chapter VIII

My delay is inexcusable, so don't ask me to type an excuse here. Regardless of whatever I can think of…no excuse…what? You still want one? Fine; one sentence…written in semi terrible English.

I have work and four hour Calculus classes during the summer plus last semester was long.

**_+~-VA -~+_**

**_Chapter Eight: Games..._**

**_+~-PADR-~+_**

**June 4th, 10:00 AM - Wright Household**

"Hold It!"

*Press*

"I'm telling you; that's all I know! I mean the teacup was smashed when I got there…"

"Do you mind adding that to your testimony and saying it again?"

"Uhh…w-why?"

"It's important."

"F-fine…I saw the teacup smashed and in pieces on the floor-"

"Objection!"

*Present Evidence*

"Take That!"

_Present and Press your way to victory!_

A tiny Phoenix ran around a map as he tried to force the truth out of people.

Phoenix could not believe his ears, or his eyes. Someone…_obviously_…had _**no**_ life…they had made him…made Edgeworth…into a GAME?.! Phoenix watched as the video convention continued, showing how people played the game in which they acted as "The legend himself." He watched as a mini-him sweat it out in a simulated court case…at least they hadn't rehashed his old cases…that would have been… disturbing…imagine playing against a Von Karma…how would they simulate getting shocked by a Taser…_**without**_ getting sued?

The player could also chose to play as Edgeworth, giving the game a double tinge to it as a mini-Edgeworth ran around using a logic pool and the same tools as Phoenix, Present and Press. Phoenix felt that a bit unfair though…Edgeworth had way more tools to use than he did…and his life-bar was huge! Then again…the whole point of Phoenix's character was to overcome mountainous odds…what's a small health bar when you've got to prove your client innocent under the charge of murder, against someone like Edgeworth no less?

Still…it would have been nice to at least have a button for his Magatama…not that anyone but he himself knew about that little trinket…speaking of which, he hadn't really used for it in a long time, hadn't he?

He fished the little green charm from underneath his hoodie and un-hooked it from its chain. It shone a brilliant green in the light of day, but he knew there was a secret, pulsing glow to it as well. He used to carry it around every day…but after taking in Trucy, he tended to leave it to the side…after all, Trucy had her secrets, and to hear those chains clink and slide into place every time he looked at his daughter…

Well, besides giving you a thumping headache after a while…well, it really shot down your confidence. She didn't trust you, that's what those laughing locks would say…and up to that point, he had built up his life on trust…if his own daughter didn't trust him…well, he didn't need that additional depression adding to his own job problems at the time…

Needless to say, after abandoning the gem, he welcomed a few choice secrets into his own heart.

Now it sat in his palm, bright and ready to shine again…but he couldn't shake the feeling that it was different now. Once warm and reassuring, now it was cold, business-like…he could swear it glowed just a tad bit more orange fire than pure green…almost as if it had darkened to fit the new him.

…_N…e…w …_

…_H…i…m..._

"…_give it to old boy…"_

"…_this piece of paper…could it be the missing page…?"_

"_I'm sorry, but as of today, you are officially disbarred, please turn in your badge…"_

"…_It's true. You can defend without a badge, yes…but who wants a crooked lawyer in their corner? More harm than good, that's what that boils down to…"_

"_Mr. Wright…you are a great worker, but I'm afraid we are going to have to let you go."  
>"…Just like that? No warning? I suppose I won't get anything for this month then…"<br>"I'm sorry, but no…"  
>Gumshoe…How did you always manage to buy instant noodles? They…are actually not the cheapest thing around…I always thought I felt your pain buddy…now I know I'm feeling worse…put it back Phoenix…it's too expensive.<em>

"_No…Trucy, it's alright. I've got myself a way to make money again."  
>"…Daddy…its okay. You don't have to lie…"<br>"No, no really, I do!"  
>"… … …Okay!"<em>

_It's times like these when I'm never sure if she actually believes me…or if she realizes the pain of being unable to provide what you promised you would. I swear; I'll get a job tomorrow if it kills me…just to make that smile real…Trucy…_

"_Mister Wright…I'm going to have to let you go…your records-"  
>"My records…? I've sent them to you months ago sir."<br>"No…not that, I mean…I didn't realize you had an accusation of fraud over your head, Mr. Wright…"  
>"… … …That…"<em>

_I'm sorry Mr. Wright.  
><em>

These things still haunt me. To this very day, even with my badge once again in my grasp…

…a loud sneeze interrupted thought, and Phoenix couldn't help but smile. Trucy and Apollo were both hung up with what Phoenix could only guess was a flu of some kind, though Apollo was shaking like a leaf, making Phoenix think more along the lines of a stomach virus…so the dad was stuck baby-sitting the two of them. Not that he minded…Apollo was like a scared puppy when he got sick…he curled up in his bed and did nothing but shake and sniff, with the occasional whimper…Trucy was a bit snappy when sick, but she did try to keep herself sweet and civil...

_Like Maya used to…_

"Daddy…"

Speaking of the devil in sheep's clothing…Phoenix maneuvered his way to the bedroom, passing Apollo, who was on the couch; to get there…but the door gave him pause when someone softly knocked on it as he passed.

_Pearls used to be crabby when she got sick…not that I blamed her…but Maya at least tried to be…nice._

Deciding that his daughter was a bit more important at the time, he unlocked the door in passing and yelled to whomever it was behind it that it was okay to let themselves in. Phoenix didn't turn around to see if the person was actually following that advice, so he missed when the door slowly opened with a kind of hesitation.

It was the same door, but the inside was so…different. Everything looked so small, from the beat up T.V in the corner, blaring about some new game, to the overstuffed couch that took up half the space. Her eyes snapped to a frame on the stool next to it. A man, dimly recognizable in a beanie, stood behind a spiky haired guy and a girl in magician's clothing.

She stared at the picture…and stared. He looked happy…in a sad little way…

It had been a while…hadn't it? She had maybe spoken to him once or twice…that last time, through Iris, and her phone…then, hearing his "daughter's" voice…inviting her to "visit" someday…why had it taken this to make her come?

Phoenix couldn't help her now…

He was no lawyer…there was no proud sign on his door…

Even as she thought it, he came in. She could only gape at him. He was…so different.

His hair was flat against his head, in the vague form of a helmet, a kind of half-done hat hair style that told her his hair was recovering from suffocating, maybe from that blue thing in the picture over there. He was a bit tanned, and his face had a raw look to it, the kind a man had from a hurried shave that he'd allowed to fade into "five o' clock shadow" mode. He was bigger in build, but he had a kind of tired look about him, as if the years had dragged at him with physical fingers on his physique. What startled her most though… was his neck. Around it he wore two things, both of which were above his shirt. Her-_**his**_magatama glowed a fierce orange green while it dangled from a thin chain, and alongside it, a gold locket winked.

It was still powerful, even after so many years. You'd kind of expect…after so long…that it would have faded. Pearls only charged it with power within the span of a minute…its power should never have lasted longer than a day, or even a week…

A magatama was only a faucet in which you focused power through…it could never hold any power of its own for long…

She knew that now. The reason a spirit medium could use them without any worry was due to their training….they had powerful spirits…a storage for power hooked up to a continuous charging circuit…but Phoenix had no such training…

His eyes, ever a deep blue, zoomed up her from the sandals all the way up the dress, locking upon her face with a kind of snap that made her feel he had become the scope for a gun. Unbidden, she took a step back…this was…this was Phoenix…why was she suddenly…_afraid_?

As she watched, he pulled his beanie from a pocket and jammed it back on his head. It looked a bit wet.

…Suddenly, this wasn't her friend Phoenix.

This was the strange man that sat at the corner of nowhere street and dead-end avenue, asking her for a dollar or two so he could go buy a beer. This was the man with dark shifty eyes that roamed the street at two in the morn, making you regret coming out so late, and always keeping you on guard…the guy that made her shiver at the station with his eyes…but then it was gone.

He was Phoenix again, albeit with that dark tinge still attached…

"Ugh…Mr. Wright...I don't think…I'm going to make it to my trial tomorrow…do you mind-"

He was barely able to breathe straight, and was severely limited with the fact his nose felt like a rock, unresponsive to his pulls…but that didn't stop Apollo was seeing with his eyes, or feeling the tension practically blazing off his mentor in law…this…wasn't the time.

…and after he had finally managed to pull himself off that bed too!

"Yes Apollo. I do mind. Your client is depending on you for that fraud charge they've got over their heads...besides, this isn't the kind of world where you can just swap cases with someone…"

"Swap…? Mr. Wright, you don't have any-"

"I'm about to get one…_right __**here**_…Maya…it's been a long time…do you want something to drink?"

It was the same friendly tone she had always heard from him, years ago, but this time, she felt a twinge, and she knew why. Master's didn't wear Magatamas, but they didn't really need them…even with her less than ideal strength…she could see the ghostly lines, the chains. Nick hadn't even lied to her, but he was already chaining his heart…but the worst part was…

His smile and warm eyes could easily fool you into thinking otherwise. Nick had learned…how to lie.

Perfectly.

To her.

She didn't know why she did it, but she just had to. Maybe it was a test. The real Nick still had to be there…as he passed to get her something…she reached for his hat and swiped it. He spun around so fast; she didn't even have time to scream before the hat was back in his hands. She felt that twinge again as he smiled.

"Huh? Maya…? …Oh…were you trying to play: "Monkey in the Middle: Attorney's Badge Edition" with my beanie? I'm too fast for that now Maya."

_Too scary for it too…Nick…where did you go?_

**+-~1~-+**

**June 5th, 3:38 AM…Location: Unsure.**

"Pick up, pick up…please, for once in your life be useful and pick up you fop- oh, hello Klavier."

A sleepy, shaking the cobwebs voice came back to her ears from the phone. He was obviously not a morning person. However, Klavier, tired and all, could still hear, and he didn't miss her unusual polite greeting of hello and his name. He didn't miss the tension that greet held either.

"Fraulein Skye? It's…"

Impatient, Ema almost snapped at him, almost…a glance around her made the clip and rising tone die before it even exited her.

"I-I'm aware of what time it is Klavier…please. I'm going to hate myself for asking you this later, but-"

At this, his figurative antennae picked up and began waggling around. He was waking up fast, Klavier was. She wanted something from him…? A piece of him darkly chuckled at that, but another punched that bit in the face to shut it up. Ema wouldn't ask him for _**a piece of gum**_ unless not having it was life threatening…

"What is it Detectiv?"

"I'm stuck…I-Damnit! I admit, I got off of work late again…and fell asleep on the bus. I have no idea where the heck I am…could-oh go ahead and laugh, It's hilarious isn't it?.!"

Despite her anger, Klavier couldn't help his original chuckle. It was…so like her. Overworking herself that is. He wondered how she managed to stay so comely of face with that attitude…if he missed sleep; he was sure bags would begin right away…or was it that he already knew her for a sleep deprived look? What would she look like _**with**_ sleep then?

"I am sorry Fraulein…you really should be getting more sleep."

"I don't need a fop like you telling me this. Can you pick me up or not? This place looks seedy no matter how I look at it…and the last bus was the one I got _off_…they don't start running again until five forty…"

Klavier furrowed his brow. One kind of place started its bus lines at five forty anymore? How far was she? Still, even as he thought it, something else came and slapped him in the face like a thrown dictionary.

_Damn. I __**can't**__ help her_.

"…Are you sure you have exhausted every other resource available to you besides me…?"

"I wouldn't have been calling if I hadn't, fop."

"_Excuse me…"_

Ouch. That hurt a lot more than it should have…he fell silent…until Ema snapped again. She didn't hear the "Excuse me." bit from behind her, which annoyed the person who had uttered it slightly.

"Klavier! Are you still there?"

"_Ahem, ah, pardon me…"_

"…I'm sorry Fraulein, my hog…is in the shop at the moment…and its inspection day. I took a cab this afternoon."

It took a couple seconds for Ema to understand what Klavier was trying to say. He had no…"hog" to pick her up with…effectively meaning that the one thing that she thought at least he would _be useful_ for…scientifically speaking, just up and went belly side to the sun…or moon, take your pick. Way to finally prove yourself, Klavier…want a cookie for the effort?

"_Ahh, please, don't ignore me…"_

"Well, thanks for nothing, fop…"

"_Oi, Detective Skye…"_

Again ignoring the incessant voice behind her back, Ema proceeded to hang up after exchanging a closing word she couldn't even remember. She assumed it was a simple, clipped "bye"…she sighed at her predicament. How the hell was she supposed to get home?

"_Miss Skye…"_

Really, a simple thing, that's all she was asking for, someone to come and pick her up and drop her somewhere she knew. Didn't even have to be home, the precinct, the courthouse, hey, even a friend's house…no one seemed to OWN. A. CAR…at this hour.

*Sigh* _**"Miss Skye!"**_

"Eeep!"

Spinning around faster than her attacker would ever guess she could, the detective had a can of spray out before the other could even make a peep…the only thing he could do was react, and he instinctively shot out his hand and slapped the offending canister away, blank faced. It gave Ema a bit to see who it was.

…and she didn't really think she knew him…but he had just said her name…

Seeing the confusion on her face, the other sighed.

"Miss Skye, am I really all that forgettable?"

She was about to slowly, barely nod her head yes so that he couldn't see, but then her eyes adjusted a bit more to his appearance in the darkness. His hair was spiked to resemble a cut somewhere between a power-hairstyle and covering bangs, and it seemed to absorb the small amount of light around it to glow because, frankly, it was stark lime green. Ema took a step back after discovering that the man was taller than her and not too warm of the eyes…but she knew him at least.

"Your Honor!"

_What was he doing here?_

The judge studied Ema's face a bit before sighing and pulling out a miniature flashlight, which he then proceeded to use to rummage about in his coat pockets with to find some keys.

"You really should consider learning how to keep your face out of the thoughts in the head, I can read every one the way you are now. I live here, Madam Skye, and you just happen to be sitting on my apartment stoop."

"Ehh?.!"

She took a look around the darkened area, spying peeling paint and a broken window across the street. The door waiting at the end of the cracked stoop she sat on was dirty, it's windows fogged with lime and calcium build up…Boarded windows with intelligible graffiti stared back at her probing eyes…and was that a raccoon feasting on an over turned garbage-oh no…that wasn't…a…raccoon, was it?

It seemed scientifically impossible to identify _that_ specimen of _whatever it was_…

"It's not a rat."

Jumping at his voice, Ema turned to stare at the Judge wide eyed. Again, he sighed.

"It's an opossum, if a rather…_**squashed looking**_ example, and they are quite peaceful if you leave them be. Raccoons are more adventurous, and cats will enter your house if you let them…so will Raccoons, but that's not important at the moment, is it? Yes, this place is my home. Not what you expected?"

Look back at the Judge, she had to admit…no. He always wore a prim and proper suit when she saw him, reminding her of what she thought that fop _**should**_ look and act like. His manner followed suit with the dress, and she fully expected a Judge to have a decent home…but she made a mistake again, and he sighed to tell her so.

"Your face, Madam Skye, conceal the thoughts that flit across it, I beg you…This is a decent home Madam Skye. It provides a roof, shelter I can survive the winter in, and a measure of cleanliness I can adjust to my standards. It does its _**job**_ Miss Skye. However, this is still not the topic at hand…to what do I owe the visit?"

Visit…? Well, she supposed it was a visit, yeah…not an intentional one, but hey…who knew that the Judge lived so close to the twenty eight's route anyway…?

"Ahh, well…uhh…oh! Your honor, do you mind if I ask you a favor?"

"…You are lost, no?"

How did he…well, from what she had seen, this guy was sharper than the old Judge…and it would be kind of obvious what she needed, especially since he had probably been there as she bickered with Klavier…

…Why had he asked then?

Another sigh; and a tinkle of keys to match made Ema look at his hands…he had found what he was looking for…and his hand was already on a car key. Really…why had he asked her if he already knew?

"Accuracy is a beautiful thing Miss Skye. Yes, I do drive, and I think I have the energy for another trip on the road…but you'll have to help me…I'm new to this myself. About the only places I know how to go to are the courthouse, precinct and Mr. Wrights…all of which are over two hours away…."

_The Wrights? Why did he know how to get to Mr. Wright's house of all places…?_

_Wait, did he just say…_

"T-Two…_**two hours**_?.!"

"Yes Miss Skye. I assume you know that the seventy eight is a very long routed local bus that travels a distance similar to a train or express…and the precinct _**is**_ its first stop after all…"

Wait…the seventy eight…? Oh crap…she had gotten on the wrong bus from the beginning…real nice zombie walking there, Ema. Get on the wrong freakin bus why don't you? Scientifically baffling. They, (The busses.) were even of two different_** designs**_ due to the type of route.

Wait…crap; that meant by the time she got home, there would be no time to sleep, just shower and put on another suit and head for work. The judge seemed to read her mind as he walked past her to scan the street with his flashlight…wait, why was he doing that now?

"You can sleep in the car Miss Skye, I'm the one driving…and I don't know everything, so I'm glad to inform that I seem to have forgotten where I have parked…ah, there the thing is!"

_Wait a second…didn't you just get out of your car?.! How could you have forgotten where it was already?.! …And just __**why**__ is he __**glad **__to inform me that he forgot this?_

…_This is going to be a lo~ng ride, isn't it? My only hope…seems to have the memory of a goldfish.(*1)_

**+-~2~-+**

**June 5th, 4:14 AM: Black Chevy Avalanche**

"…Is that the same song I heard since we got in the car?"

Justice Alexander Lexicon gave himself a little shake and slapped himself quickly before adjusting the volume of his media radio. He looked in the rear-view to get a look at Ema before answering her, but she didn't miss the performance he had just gave…but she didn't say anything either. She knew he had been driving for hours to get home after a long day, and her appearance didn't help matters, as he now had to drive _back all the way_ _to work to find her home_ and then, if he had time, drive _once more_ homeward…but you couldn't help but worry when you saw something like that…

"Ahh, Miss Skye, I thought you had fallen asleep…yes it is. Are you bored of it? This one is over an hour long."

_No your honor; that was you that nearly fell asleep there._

"Oh well that explains it-wait, **over an hour long**?.!"

"Mmhmm…an Orchestral extended to fit this time frame does tend to repeat quite a bit, but this piece is the original. If you listen, you'll notice how this one song seems to go through several "renditions" but in reality, it is the same piece being built from a simple one instrument tone to the entire array…ahh, but now isn't the time for such things…until I have the energy for you, my friendly piece, I bid you adieu."

…_Wait…did he just say the orchestral was longer?.! …No, he said Orchestrals are normally long, but this is an original…he was being general…whew…that…was dangerously close to blowing my mind…what kind of crazy world to we live in?_

With that, he spun the dial on his radio and jabbed at the screen a bit. Not many people appreciated technology here in this state, he had been surprised with the mentioning's of video cassettes…in New York, things were different from here… but then; he had no right to judge the entire state based upon the little bit he knew of it…

His finger paused over the screen as a fast paced beat, but that wasn't what stilled his hand. In whirr of shadowy fingers, the dial was grabbed and spun to mute, and a phone appeared into the Judge's hands as he pulled neatly into a side service road.

"Hello, Justice-…excuse me? It's four in the morning…I am in no position to turn on a T.V my good man…I'm in a car. No, my car is not that high tech, and I don't feel like crashing because my eyes are glued to the T.V…ahh…is there no other Judge available…? I see…I'm on my way then…call the precinct in my district, yes, I understand…The high- …*sigh*…understood. The victim? …accused? …Ahh! I've heard that name before…no…loose relation…a single mention from an attorney I had the same driving instructor with…their relation? …I believe he was the part time caretaker and boss of the girl who looked over another girl, her cousin whom was related to…yes, yes, as I claimed, _**loose**_ relation. I have no objection if there is none other available…"

Snapping his phone shut, the judge blinked a bit before rubbing his eyes, and then, quite uncharacteristically in Ema's eyes, slapped his hands upon his steering wheel and shook himself like a great big dog, snapping his head up with eyes wide before relaxing and pulling back into the road.

That…mini seizure, for lack of a better word on Ema's part, was explained once he was back up to speed on the highway.

"I have a new case, and thus, so do you. Since you took the liberty to call Prosecutor Gavin already, your own phone should go off in approximately two minutes, and you will speak to the district about your new case. Please, could you peel your eyes for a service station of some sort, for both our sakes. By the time you get home, it will be past six, and I will wait for you there."

_Wait, wait for me…?_

A bit shaken a his sudden dead serious tone and manner, she sat up a bit straighter and focused on the rearview mirror, which let her see his eyes. They were seeking the roads; narrow. Dare she even ask?

"…Why are you going to wait for me once I get home? I won't mix up busses again…"

His eyes flashed to look at her in that mirror; and she swore that the light brown almost looked gold…

"You're not going to the precinct, Miss Skye. You are going direct after home to Kurain, only this time, if taken by car, those three hours will let you get some sort of sleep, unless you wish to take the train, which would be two, but get no sleep at all. A service station please."

Kurain? Wait, she knew there…wasn't Mr. Wright…wait…Mr. Wright!

Again, she didn't need to ask. Her phone vibrated, but just as she reached for it, the judge spoke again.

"I was a few seconds off…Detective Skye, as you are assigned this case…I don't need to tell you that neutrality is the key. No matter what you owe Defense Attorney Phoenix Wright…this is a case of murder, Fey Vs. the state…the accused, of course…"

"Is Pearl Fey."

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

+-~Phoenix's Court Record~-+

Attorney's Badge – My old badge, returned to me in "pristine" condition, Maggey's teeth marks and all.  
><span>Judge's Thesis<span> – Pretty extensive. A copy of theory / thoughts by Alexander Lexicon on Juries. Pg. cnt.-78  
><span>Coldkiller X<span> – This brings back memories…why the heck is it cheapest brand to buy? I don't like it.

+-~Apollo's Court Record~-+

Attorney's Badge – There are two in the office now... Mine's shiner!  
><span>Picture<span> – Shows Trucy and I on the docks…wait, what is she doing with my hair?.!  
><span>Bar Exam Study Notes<span>– Found in the office. The practicum is for prosecutors. What is it doing here?

+-~Profiles~-+

Apollo Justice: Age: 23, Male. Rookie Ace Attorney, understudy to Phoenix Wright. Trucy's half-brother.  
><span>Trucy Wright<span>: Age: 15, Female. Legal owner of the Gramarye Troupe. "Daughter" of Phoenix Wright.  
><span>Hestia Hoshed<span>: Age: 22, Male. Hothead "understudy" to Phoenix Wright. No license to practice law yet.  
><span>Viola Cadaverini<span>: Age 33, Female. Heir to "The Mob" and Owner of Tender Lender. Suspected of Murder.  
><span>Miles Edgeworth<span>: Age 34, Male. Named the "Demon Prosecutor", Phoenix Wright's childhood friend.  
><span>Ema Skye<span>: Age 26, Female. Unhappy detect. with a thing for pelting snacks. Friend of Phoenix Wright.  
><span>Alexander Lexicon<span>: Age 36, Male. A Judge from New York; now presides in California. Has an odd accent.  
><span>Phoenix Wright<span>: Age 34, Male. "Reborn" Ace Att. Doting dad/pianist, old friend of Miles Edgeworth.  
><span>Flora Ito-ten:<span> Age 24, Female. Russian immigrant who says she has been a prosecutor since she was 16.  
><span>Klavier Gavin:<span> Age: 25, Male. German former rock star for The Gavinners" and a practicing prosecutor.

**(Notes)**

(*1) – It may be inclined to give notice on the fact that fish actually DO remember things for longer than three seconds, ehh? Goldfish included.

**+-~E~-+**

Oh, so the design actually stayed.

No surprises here, I suppose. Raise your hand if you didn't expect Pearl…

I've got a notes section now, ehh.

I rushed through both trials like a fool, or, as Phoenix put it, an arse. This chapter is a rush chapter, no denying it. I was rushing like hell and low on…everything a good writer needs, including sleep and time/ inspiration…but most of what I got seems to have massed ahead of this point. It's a bad sign…but one I'll have to take in stride…but the whole structure of this thing is a mess, I believe.

Not to mention my "rushing" is in small bursts over the course of _**months **_of time.


End file.
